THE  CENTENNIAL 


ONE   HUNDREDTH 


ANNIVERSARY 


OF   THE 


MOST  WORSHIPFUL  GRAND  LODGE 


CONNECTICUT. 


New  Haven,  July  IQth,  A.  L.  58S9. 


COMPILED   BY 

JOSEPH   K.  WHEELER,  GRAND  SECRETARY. 


PECK 


HARTFORD,  CONN.  : 
PROCTY,  PRINTERS,  336  ASYLUM  ST. 
1890. 


Stack 
Annex 


INTRODUCTION-- 


In  the  preparation  of  this  volume,  the  Grand  Secretary  will 
act  in  the  capacity  of  a  compiler  or  editor,  as  no  work  devolves 
upon  him,  except  to  gather  into  these  pages  the  principal 
events  attending  the  celebration  of  the  one  hundredth  anni- 
versary of  this  Grand  Lodge. 

The  exact  date  for  the  event  should  have  been  July  8th, 
rather  than  July  10th,  which  latter  was  selected  as  the  most 
convenient,  it  coming  on  Wednesday,  the  middle  of  the  week, 
instead  of  Monday,  the  first  of  the  week. 

We  shall  endeavor  to  gather  in  all  matters  relating  to  the 
ceremonies  of  this  most  important  event  in  the  history  of  Free- 
masonry in  Connecticut,  that  are  of  value,  that  they  may  be 
handed  down  to  future  generations,  including  the  eloquent  and 
instructive  addresses,  with  some  items  of  historic  interest,  that 
will  increase  in  importance  as  time  moves  onward  in  its  cease- 
less march. 

In  order  to  make  the  record  as  complete  as  possible,  we 
shall  furnish  biographical  sketches  of  some  of  our  leading 
members,  as  they  may  be  furnished,  and  publish  the  same 
with  engravings,  so  far  as  we  can,  that  at  the  next  centennial, 
those  who  have  the  matter  of  arranging  for  the  celebration,  may 
look  upon  the  face*  of  many  who  were  prominent  in  this. 

We  trust  that  the  reader  of  these  pages  mav  find  much  to 


INTRODUCTION. 


give  encouragement  for  the  high  standard  of  perfection  that 
has  been  attained  during  the  first  one  hundred  years,  and  that 
future  generations  will  do  the  best  they  can  to  preserve  the 
reputation  of  the  fraternity  unsullied,  furnishing  an  example  of 
fidelity  to  high  and  noble  purposes,  that  the  world  at  large 
may  be  convinced  of  the  good  effects  of  this  most  excellent 

fraternity. 

Fraternally, 


BIOGRAPHICAL,^ 


THE   CENTENNIAL. 


JOSEPH    KELLOGO    \VHEELKR. 


The  frontispiece  to  this  volume  is  a  very  striking  likeness 
of  R.  W.  Joseph  K.  Wheeler,  Grand  Secretary  of  the  Masonic 
Grand  bodies  of  Connecticut. 

He  was  born  in  Bloomfield,  Conn.,  on  the  2/th  of  August, 
1834,  and  was  christened  Joseph  Kellogg,  the  last  name  indi- 
cating the  line  of  descent  on  his  mother's  side.  It  is  through 
the  Kellogg  family  his  genealogy  is  traced  to  Samuel  Kellogg, 
one  of  three  brothers  who  came  to  this  country  from  Scotland, 
in  1660.  Their  names  were  Joseph  Kellogg  and  Samuel  Kel- 
logg. who  located  in  Hatfield,  Mass.,  and  Daniel  Kellogg,  who 
located  in  Norwalk,  Conn. 

His  ancestors  on  the  Wheeler  side  were  among  the  early 
settlers  in  Keene,  N.  H.,  the  record  going  back  to  Abraham 
Wheeler,  who  was  born  about  the  year  1700,  of  English  or 
Welsh  parents,  supposed  to  be  Welsh,  as  Wheeler  is  a  very 
common  name  in  Wales. 

Our  Brother  was  raised  a  farmer's  son  in  the  town  of 
West  Hartford,  being  early  accustomed  to  the  labors  which 
came  naturally  to  one  in  his  position.  He  received  a  common 
school  education  only,  with  the  addition  of  two  terms  in  an 
academy  located  in  his  native  town,  and  at  the  age  of  nineteen 
was  employed  as  teacher  of  a  district  school  in  the  vicinity  of 
his  home. 

In  1854,  he  engaged  as  clerk  in  the  grocery  business  in 
the  city  of  Hartford,  and  finally  entered  the  business  for  him- 
self, which  he  conducted  for  many  years,  until  the  duties  of  the 
office  of  Grand  Secretary  absorbed  so  much  of  his  time,  he  was 
obliged  to  relinquish  all  business.  He  had  no  liking  for  the 


THE    CENTENNIAL. 


grocery  business,  but  his  earnest  desire  was  to  graduate  from 
college  and  enter  a  professional  career,  but  the  limitations  that 
were  about  him  in  his  youth  prevented. 

It  may  be  said  of  him,  however,  that  he  has  profited  by 
the  study,  and  the  use  of  books,  and  that,  with  a  well  culti- 
vated mind,  having  found  congenial  and  useful  occupation,  he 
has  shown  good  proofs  of  his  abilities  and  acquisitions. 

He  was  made  a  Master  Mason  in  St.  John's  Lodge,  No.  4, 
of  Hartford,  May  30,  1860.  He  was  exalted  as  a  Royal  Arch 
Mason  in  Pythagoras  Chapter,  No.  17,  of  Hartford,  May  9, 
1862;  received  the  degrees  of  the  Cryptic  Rite,  in  Wolcott 
Council  No.  I,  Hartford,  April  3,  1863,  and  was  Knighted  in 
Washington  Commandery,  No.  i,of  Hartford,  July  28,  1863. 
He  received  the  degrees  of  the  Scottish  Rite,  to  the  thirty- 
second,  in  Rhode  Island,  September  28,  1863,  and  was  created 
a  Grand  Inspector  General,  33°,  in  Boston,  Mass.,  May  18, 
1865. 

He  was  elected  Master  of  St.  John's  Lodge,  No.  4,  Hart- 
ford, January  3,  1866,  and  held  the  office  two  years,  those 
years  being  marked  with  great  prosperity.  He  was  elected 
High  Priest  of  Pythagoras  Chapter,  No.  17,  January  3,  1868, 
and  served  two  years ;  elected  Thrice  Illustrious  Master  of 
\Volcott  Council,  No.  I,  January  4,  1872,  and  Eminent  Com- 
mander of  Washington  Commandery,  No.  I,  January  2,  1877, 
having  filled  the  subordinate  offices  in  those  bodies. 

He  was  one  of  the  original  members  of  Charter  Oak 
Lodge  of  Perfection,  which  was  organized  at  Hartford,  in  1870, 
and  for  ten  years  or  more  was  its  presiding  officer,  and  helped 
to  constitute  Hartford  Council  Princes  of  Jerusalem,  and  Cy- 
rus Goodell  Chapter  of  Rose-Croix,  serving  as  presiding  of- 
ficer over  each. 

In  the  Grand  Bodies  of  Connecticut  he  holds  the  following 


THE   CENTENNIAL. 


official  positions  :  He  is  Grand  Secretary  of  the  Grand  Lodge, 
having  been  first  elected  May  8,  1867  ;  Grand  Secretary  of  the 
Grand  Chapter,  to  which  office  he  was  first  elected  May  7, 
1867;  Grand  Recorder  of  the  Grand  Council,  his  first  election 
being  May  7,  1867,  and  Grand  Recorder  of  the  Grand  Com- 
mandery,  his  first  election  being  March  21,  1882. 

In  all  these  positions  of  labor  and  responsibility,  Brother 
Wheeler  has  proved  himself  to  be  the  right  man  in  the  right 
place,  and  his  services  have  been  productive  of  the  best  results 
in  all  the  departments  where  his  thought  and  energy  have  been 
applied.  Modest,  unassuming,  sympathetic  and  tolerant,  he 
knows  how  to  deal  with  men — how  to  make  friends  and  hold 
them,  while  his  understanding  of  freemasonry  is  such,  that  he 
is  eminently  qualified  to  serve  the  interests  of  the  craft  to  more 
than  an  ordinary  extent. 

He  is  an  enthusiastic  craftsman,  and  loves  freemasonry  for 
its  truths,  principles  and  symbolisms,  not  less  than  for  its  social 
feature  and  practical  helpfulness.  He  has  found  it  to  be  a  help 
to  his  higher  nature — a  blessed  means  of  stimulating  and 
strengthening  the  mind  in  those  aims  in  which  our  common 
humanity  is  ever  looking, — and  he  does  not  hesitate  to  express 
his  grateful  feelings  toward  the  institution.  He  is  especially 
devoted  to  the  blue-lodge  and  commandery,  yet  his  soul  is  in 
all  branches  of  the  extended  system,  which  has  so  much  of 
light  and  truth  to  communicate.  As  chairman  of  committees 
on  correspondence,  in  Grand  Lodge  and  Grand  Commandery 
he  has  frequently  set  forth  his  views  regarding  important  ques- 
tions. His  conservative  opinions,  his  generally  correct  judg- 
ments, his  catholicity  of  sentiment  and  his  devotion  to  the  best 
principles  represented  by  the  masonic  system  and  organiza- 
tion, have  given  him  a  justly  earned,  and  widely  extended  rep- 
utation among  intelligent  brethren.  H  w  R 


THE   CENTENNIAL. 


CIRCULAR    NOTICE 


GRAND  LODGE  CENTENNIAL. 


OFFICE  OF  GRAND  SECRETARY, 

HARTFORD,  May  18,  1889. 

To  the  IV.  M.,  Wardens  and  Brothers  of 

Lodge,  No.  A.  F.  and  A.  M.  : 

The  M.  W.  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut  will  celebrate  the  one 
hundredth  anniversary  of  its  existence,  in  the  city  of  New  Haven,  Wed- 
nesday, July  loth,  1889.  Your  lodge  is  invited  to  be  present,  either  in 
a  body  or  by  proper  representation  of  your  officers. 

The  brethren  will  assemble  on  New  Haven  Green,  and  the  proces- 
sion will  move  precisely  at  high  twelve.  As  uniformity  in  appearance  is 
desired,  the  brethren  are  requested  to  dress  in  black,  wear  black  Derby 
hats,  and  to  wear  the  apron  (white),  except  officers,  on  the  outside  of 
the  coat,  and  white  gloves. 

The  procession  will  be  escorted  by  the  Knights  Templars  of  Con- 
necticut. After  a  short  march  the  procession  will  proceed  to  the  armory 
of  the  Second  Regiment,  C.  N.  G.,  where  a  bountiful  collation  will  be 
served. 

Reforming,  the  brethren  will  be  escorted  to  the  Hyperion  Theatre, 
where  the  historical  exercises  will  take  place.  These  exercises  will  in- 
•clude — 

Elaborate  Music  by   Coifs  Band,  of  Hartford, 

AND    THE 

Mendelssohn  Double   Quartette,  of  Boston. 

The  Singing  by  the  entire  Audience  of  the  Centennial  Ode,  with 
Band  Accompaniment. 
The   Historical  Address. 

The  Poem. 
The  Oration. 


10  THE    CENTENNIAL. 


The  grand  banquet  will  be  spread  in  the  Hyperion  Theatre,  at  8 
o'clock  p.  m.  Tickets,  $4.00 ;  the  sale  limited  to  two  hundred.  An 
elaborate  musical  entertainment  has  been  arranged  for  the  evening,  and 
several  of  the  most  noted  soloists — both  instrumental  and  vocal — will 
appear. 

It  is  very  necessary  that  the  Committee  be  informed,  at  the  earliest 
moment,  of  the  action  of  your  lodge,  in  the  matter  of  attendance,  and 
how  many  brethren  you  may  reasonably  depend  upon  being  present. 
Brethren  from  lodges  that  do  not  attend  independently  will  be  assigned 
position  with  other  lodges. 

A  complete  programme  of  the  exercises  will  be  furnished  at  the 
Hyperion  Theatre. 

The  auditorium  of  the  theatre,  on  the  occasion  of  the  grand  ban- 
quet, will  be  reserved  for  masons  and  their  friends.  Tickets  of  admis- 
sion, 50  cents ;  reserved  seats,  75  cents. 

Tickets  for  the  banquet  may  be  secured  of  Past  Grand  Master  F. 
H.  WALDRON,  New  Haven.  As  their  number  is  necessarily  limited, 
brethren  desiring  to  be  present  should  secure  their  tickets  early. 

By  order  of  the  Centennial  Committee, 

E.  B.  ROWE,  Boston,  Mass.,  Past  Grand  Master,  Chairman. 

FRED.  H.  WALDRON,  Past  Grand  Master. 

I  (WIGHT  PHELPS,  Past  Grand  Master. 

DVVIGHT  WAUGH,  Past  Grand  Master. 

ELI  S.  QUINTARD,  Past  Grand  Master. 

ARTHUR  H.  BREWER,  Grand  Senior  Warden. 

JOHN  H.  LEEDS,  Past  Grand  Junior  Warden. 

JOHN  G.  ROOT,  Grand  Treasurer. 

NATHAN  DIKEMAN,  Past  Grand  Sentinel. 

A.  H.  WEST,  Past  District  Deputy. 

C.  H.  CHESEBRO,  Past  Master. 

H.  S.  ABEL,  Past  Master. 

NOTE. — The  Secretary  will  please  deliver  enclosed  invitations  to 
officers  as  designated. 


nftamlinttJf  R-AJH. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  11 


G  rar[d*  Lodge*  of  *Cor\rv 

-A.  F.&A.  A.& 

Dear-    Sir  aijd    i3ro  : 

T'he  N'Jost  Worshipful  ©ragd  Lsodge  of 
Connecticut  propose^  to  Celebrate  tl]e  Centennial 
Anniversary  of  its  iijdeperjderjce,  July  10th,  A.  U., 
^•^9,  ir)  tl]e  city  of  J'Jew  [-iaven. 

I  have  the  pleasure  to  exteijd  to  you  a  cordial 
arjd  fraterrjal  invitation  to  be  presegt  ar)d  participate 
in  the  cererrjonies  of  th)e  occa§ior). 

Fraternallv   yours, 


N'J.  W.  @rand    ]V]  aster. 
Stivmf'oi-d,   May,  5869. 


ll>  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


Dear  Sir  and  Brother  : 

We  have  the  pleasure  to  enclose  you  herewith,  an  invi- 
tation to  be  present  at  the  celebration  of  the  Centennial  of 
the  M.  W.  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut,  to  take  place  in 
the  city  of  New  Haven,  July  10,  1889. 

Somewhat  elaborate  preparations  are  being  made  for  its 
proper  observance. 

The  exercises  will  include  a  grand  procession  of  the  fra- 
ternity of  the  State,  escorted  by  the  entire  body  of  Knights 
Templars  of  the  jurisdiction.  Historical  exercises  in  the 
Hyperion  Theatre,  etc.,  etc. 

The  Grand  Banquet  will  be  spread  in  the  Hyperion 
Theatre,  at  8  o'clock  p.  m.,  to  which  you  are  invited. 

Please  signify  your  acceptance  of  this  invitation  at  an 
early  date,  to  R.  W.,  J.  K.  WHEELER,  Grand  Secretary. 

Fraternally  yours, 

EDW.  B.  ROWE,    "j   Committee 
J.  K.  WHEELER,    >       on 
DWIGHT  WAUGH,  J   Imitation. 


RESPONSES    TO    INVITATIONS 


TO    ATTEND    THE 


OF   THE 

HGRMDt  LODGES  OF  t  CONNECTICUT. 


14  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


RESPONSES. 


GRAND   LODGE   OF  ARKANSAS, 

K.  AND  A.  MA>ONS. 

OFFICE  OF  GRAND  SECRETARY,          ) 
LITTLE  ROCK,  June  3,  1889.  j 
R.  \V.  JOSEPH  K.  WHEELER, 

Grand  Secretary  and  of  Committee  on  Invitation. 
DEAR  SIR  AND  R.  W.  BRO.  : 

I  am  in  receipt  of  your  elegant  and  artistically  executed  invitation 
to  attend  the  Centennial  of  the  M.  W.  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut, 
July  xoth,  for  which  please  accept  thanks.  I  wish  it  was  in  my  power 
to  attend  so  notable  an  occasion.  It  would  afford  me  much  pleasure  to 
do  so,  but  I  regret  to  say  that  many  hindrances  will  prevent.  To  have 
attained  a  century's  growth  as  an  order,  is  indeed  a  cause  for  congratu- 
lation, and  the  contemplation  of  the  good  that  has  thereby  been  accom- 
plished in  the  cause  of  progress  and  the  elevation  of  humanity,  is  like- 
wise a  source  of  corresponding  satisfaction.  May  the  good  fortune  that 
has  attended  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut  in  her  time  past,  be  with 
her  in  the  time  that  is  to  come,  is  the  sincere  wish  of 

Yours  fraternally  and  truly, 

FAY   HEMPSTEAI), 
Grand  Secretary. 

STATE   OF   CONNECTI C IT. 

EXECUTIVE  DEPARTMENT. 

Mr.  J.   K.  WHKKLKR,  HARTFORD,  July  8,  1889. 

Grand  Secretary, 

Hartford,  Conn. 

DEAR  SIR  :  The  Governor  directs  me  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of 
an  invitation  to  the  centennial  celebration  of  the  M.  W.  Grand  Lodge 
of  Connecticut,  July  xoth,  and  to  express  to  you  his  regrets  that  another 
engagement  will  prevent  his  attendance. 

Respectfully  yours, 

SAM.    O.    PRENTICE, 

Executive  Secretary. 


THE    CF.NTKXXIAL.  15 


GRAND    LODGE    OF    DELAWARE. 

GEORGETOWN,  DEL.,  1889. 
J.   K.  WHEELER,  Esq., 

Grand  Secretary,  G.  L.  of  Conn.  F.  and  A.  Af., 
New  Haven,  Conn. 

R.  W.  SIR  AND  BROTHER  :  The  invitation  of  your  committee  to 
attend  your  Centennial  Anniversary  on  the  loth  proximo,  was  duly  re- 
ceived, and  I  regret  that  it  will  be  impossible  for  me  to  accept.  I  ap- 
preciate the  fraternal  feeling  which  prompted  the  invitation,  and  trust 
the  occasion  will  be  one  of  pleasure  and  profit. 

Yours  fraternally, 

McKENDEN  DUNHAM, 

Deputy  Grand  Master. 


GRAND   LODGE   OF  CALIFORNIA, 

F.  AND  A.  M. 

OFFICE  OF  THE  GRAND  SECRETARY, 
MASONIC  TEMPLE,  SAN  FRANCISCO,  June  3,  188 

J.  K.  WHEELER,  Esq., 

Grand  Secretary  F.  and  A.  M. 

Hartford,  Conn. 

DEAR  SIR  AND  BRO.  :  I  have  the  pleasure  of  acknowledging  the 
receipt  of  five  invitations  to  be  present  at  the  Centennial  of  your  Grand 
Lodge  on  the  loth  July  next. 

Four  of  these  I  have  transmitted  to  our  Grand  Master,  Deputy 
Grand  Master  and  Senior  and  Junior  Grand  Wardens. 

For  myself,  it  would  please  me  greatly  to  be  with  you  on  such  an 
occasion,  but  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  neither  my  health  nor  time  will 
permit  it. 

Yours  truly  and  fraternally, 

ALEX.  G.  ABELL, 

Grand  Secretary. 


16  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


GRAND    LODGE    OF    CANADA, 

A.  F.  AND  A.  M. 
IN  THE  PROVINCE  OF  ONTARIO. 

GRAND  SECRETARY'S  OFFICE, 
HAMILTON,  ONT.,  June  12,  188 
J.  K.  WHEELER,  Esq., 

Hartford,  Conn. 
DEAR  SIR  AND  R.  W.  BRO.  : 

I  regret  very  much  that  I  will  be  unable  to  be  present  at  the  cele- 
bration of  the  Centennial  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut.  Our 
Grand  Lodge  meets  very  shortly  after,  and  it  will  be  impossible  for  me 
to  leave  home.  Wishing  you  every  success,  I  am  yours  fraternally, 

J.    J.    MASON,   Grand  Secretary. 


GRAND  CHAPTER  OF  ROYAL  ARCH  MASONS, 
STATE  OF  COLORADO. 

OFFICE  OF  THE  GRAND  HIGH  PRIEST, 
CANON  CITY,  June  5th,  1889. 

J.  K.  WHEELER,  Esq.,  Grand  Secretary, 

Hartford,  Conn. 

MY  DEAR  SIR  AND  BRO.  :  I  am  in  receipt  of  your  very  cordial  in- 
vitation to  be  present  and  participate  with  you  in  the  celebration  of  the 
Centennial  Anniversary  of  your  Grand  Lodge.  I  regret  exceedingly 
that  the  distance  and  my  engagements  here  will  prevent  my  acceptance. 
Please  extend  to  your  noble  Grand  Lodge  my  congratulations  and  best 
wishes.  Yours  truly  and  fraternally, 

WILLIAM  T.  BRIDWELL, 

Deputy  Grand  At  aster. 

GRAND  LODGE  OF  D.  C., 

K.    AND   A.    M. 

935  RHODE  ISLAND  AVE,          ) 
WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  July  7,  1889.  f 
J.  K.  WHEELER,  Esq., 

Grand  Secretary. 
DEAR  SIR  AND  R.  W.   BROTHER: 

It  would  have  given  me  pleasure  to  have  been  present  at  the  cele- 
bration of  the  Centennial  Anniversary  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Conn.  F. 


THE    CEXTKNMAL.  17 


and  A.  M.,  but  the  shadow  of  an  approaching  family  bereavement  pre- 
vents ;  and  this  must  also  be  my  excuse  for  so  tardy  response  to  your 
kind  and  highly  appreciated  invitation. 

Fraternally,  your  obedient  servant, 

THOMAS  F.  GIBBS, 

Senior  Grand  Warden, 

GRAND  LODGE  OF  DELAWARE. 

A.  F.  A.  M. 

R.  W.  J.  K.  WHEELER,  WILMINGTON,  May  3oth,  1889. 

Grand  Secretary. 

DEAR  SIR  AND  BROTHER  :  I  am  in  receipt  of  your  hearty  and 
fraternal  invitation  to  be  present  at  the  celebration  of  the  Centennial  of 
the  M.  W.  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut,  July,  1889. 

I  have  to  express  my  deep  regret  that  it  is  impossible  to  be  with 
you  in  person,  owing  to  active  business  and  masonic  demands  in  this 
jurisdiction.  Courteously  and  fraternally, 

JAMES    S.    DOBB,   Grand  Master. 


GRAND  LODGE  OF  ILLINOIS, 

F.  AND  A.  M. 

OFFICE  OF  THE  GRAND  SECRETARY,  ) 
FREEPORT,  ILL.,  July  2,  1889.       ) 
J.  K.  WHEELER,  Esq., 

Grand  Secretary, 

Hartford,  Conn. 

DEAR  SIR  AND  R.  W.  BRO.  :  Thanks  for  the  very  kind  and 
courteous  invitation  to  be  present  with  you  on  the  loth  of  this  month 
at  the  celebration  of  the  Centennial  Anniversary  of  the  organization  of 
the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut,  and  it  would  afford  me  great  pleasure 
to  be  with  you  on  this  joyful  occasion  but  the  duties  of  my  office  at  this 
season  of  the  year  demand  my  personal  attention,  so  that  it  would  be 
impossible  for  me  to  be  present  with  you,  which  I  regret  very  much. 
With  kindest  regards  and  good  wishes,  I  am, 

Very  cordially  and  fraternally  yours, 
2  L.     L.  MUNN,   Grand  Secretary. 


18  THE    CENTENNIAL. 


GRAND  LODGE  OF  INDIANA, 

F.  AND  A.  M. 

OFFICE  OF  M.  W.  GRAND  MASTER,          ) 
TERRE  HAUTE,  Ind.,July  2,  1889.  } 
R.  W.  J.  K.  WHEELER, 

Grand  Secretary,  M.  W.  Grand  Lodge  of  Conn. 

Hartford. 

DEAR  BROTHER  :  I  received,  a  few  weeks  ago,  while  I  was  Deputy 
Grand  Master  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Indiana,  the  very  fraternal  invita- 
tion of  your  Grand  Master,  M.  W.  John  H.  Swartwout,  to  be  present  at 
the  celebration  of  the  Centennial  of  the  Worshipful  Grand  Lodge  of 
Connecticut,  to  take  place  in  the  city  of  New  Haven,  on  the  loth  of 
July,  instant.  To  be  in  attendance  on  so  exceedingly  interesting  an 
occasion  would  afford  me  the  greatest  possible  pleasure,  but  it  is  one  of 
the  misfortunes  of  humanity  to  be  deprived  of  many  pleasures,  as  well 
as  our  good  fortune  to  enjoy  many. 

I  can  only  express  my  most  earnest  regret  that  I  must  miss  the  en- 
joyment of  this  one,  though  I  have  the  pleasure  of  congratulating  your 
grand  jurisdiction  upon  its  antiquity  as  well  as  on  its  prosperity,  and  of 
wishing  that  the  occasion  may  be  equal  to  your  highest  anticipation^. 

Most  fraternally  yours, 

THOMAS  B.  LONG, 

Grand  Master  of  Masons  in  Indiana. 


GRAND    LODGE   OF    ILLINOIS. 

GODFREY,  ILLS.,  June  27,  1889. 

R.  W.  J.  K.  WHEELER,  Grand  Sec' y., 

Hartford,  Conn. 

DEAR  SIR  AND  BRO.  :  To  the  invitation  of  your  committee,  as  well 
as  to  that  of  the  Grand  Master,  I  should  dearly  love  to  make  an  affirm- 
ative answer.  The  time  of  the  year,  the  location,  the  history,  all  unite 
to  make  the  occasion  interesting.  As  I  write  this,  there  lies  on  my  desk 
the  record  of  Proclamation  of  Grand  Lodge,  granting  charter  to  the  loyal 
of  old  Hiram,  No.  i.  Thank  God  for  this.  As  correspondent  for  our 
Grand  Chapter,  I  have  watched  your  Proclamation  with  interest,  and 
am  ready  to  congratulate  you  on  a  successful  issue.  I  shall  be  a  pretty 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  19 


old  man  when  our  Grand  Lodge  celebrates  its  centennial,  but,  if  able, 
will  send  you  a  summons.     We  are  going  to  be  fifty  next  fall. 
With  kindest  wishes,  I  am  fraternally  yours, 

JNO.   M.   PEARSON, 

Deputy  Grand  Master. 

FROM   THE   GRAND   EAST 

OF    THE 

MOST   WORSHIPFUL   GRAND    LODGE, 

OF    THE    STATE    OF    ILLINOIS, 

FREE  AND   ACCEPTED   MASONS. 

65  SIBLEY  STREET,        ") 
Bro.  EDW'D  B.  ROWE,  CHICAGO,  June  10,  1889.  I 

Chairman  Com.  on  Invitation. 

DEAR  SIR  AND  BRO.  :  I  am  in  receipt  of  handsome  engraved  invi- 
tation to  Centennial  Anniversary  of  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut,  July 
10,  1889.  Could  I  see  my  way  clear  to  be  with  you,  would  certainly  do 
so,  but  present  engagements  will  run  me  close  to  that  time,  so  near  that 
I  dare  not  promise. 

I  assure  you  that  it  would  give  me  great  pleasure  to  meet  with  so 
old  and  honored  a  Grand  Lodge  as  that  of  Connecticut,  and  to  do  so 
will  make  special  effort. 

Thanking  you  for  your  kind  consideration  and  thoughtfulness, 
I  am  fraternally, 

J.  C.   SMITH,   Grand  Master. 


COVINGTON,  KY.,  July  5,  1889. 
E.  B.  ROWF,        ) 

f      K     WHFT/T  T?P    C  Committee  on  Invitation, 

j.    rv.    \\  tth.t,Lh.K,  f-  Centennial  Celebration,  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut. 

DWIGHT  WAUGH,  ) 

DEAR  BRETHREN  :  Please  accept  my  thanks  for  your  fraternal  invi- 
tation to  be  present  at  the  Centennial  Celebration  of  the  M.  W.  Grand 
Lodge  of  Connecticut,  in  the  city  of  New  Haven,  on  July  10,  1889. 

I  have  delayed  answer  until  this  late  date,  hoping  that  I  might  pos- 
sibly be  able  to  attend.  I  now  find  that  I  cannot  be  present,  much  to 
my  regret. 

Again  thanking  you  for  your  kind  remembrance  of  me,  I  remain, 

Fraternally  yours, 

CHAS.    H.    FISK. 


20  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


GRAND    LODGE    OF    KENTUCKY, 

F.  AND  A.  M. 

LOUISVILLE,  KY.,  May  31,  1889. 
DEAR  BRO.  WHEELER  : 

Many  thanks  for  the  invitation  to  your  Centennial.     I  had  already 
appropriated  former  ones  received,  and  then  forwarded  them  to  Grand 
Master,  Deputy  Grand  Master,  and  the  Grand  Wardens,  some  of  whom 
I  hope  may  be  present  to  represent  us. 
Wishing  you  a  very  happy  occasion, 

I  am  fraternally  thine, 

H.    B.    GRANT,  Grand  Secretary. 


PATCHOGUE,  L.  I.,  July  8,  1889. 
J.  K.  WHEELER,  Esq., 

Grand  Secretary,  Grand  Lodge  of  Conn. 

MY  DEAR  BRO  :  Your  kind  invitation,  with  the  beautiful  engraved 
card,  came  to  me  too  late  for  an  earlier  answer,  as  it  has  followed 
me"  here. 

I  sincerely  regret  that  I  cannot  be  present  and  that  I  must  deny 
myself  the  pleasure,  and  my  brothers  the  infliction,  of  a  response  to  the 
toast  you  assign  me.     Hoping  for  you  a  grand  good  time. 
Yours  very  truly, 
EDWARD  ANDERSON. 

GRAND   LODGE   OF   LOUISIANA. 

\  .    \M>  A.  M. 

GRAND  MASTER'S  OFFICE,        ) 
NEW  ORLEANS,  June  26,  1889.  ) 
J.  K.  WHEELER,  Y.^\.. 

Grand  Secretat  v,  Grand  Lodge  of  Conn.  F.  and  A.  M. 

DEAR  SIR  AND  R.  W.  BRO.  : 

I  have  since  some  time  been  in  receipt  of  an  invitation  to  be 
present  at  the  celebration  of  the  Centennial  of  the  M.  W.  Lodge  of 
Connecticut,  in  New  Haven,  on  July  loth  next. 

In  the  name  of  the  brethren  of  this  jurisdiction  I  thank  the  com- 
mittee, and  through  them  your  M.  W.  Grand  Lodge  for  this  courtesy 
and  fraternal  consideration. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  21 


I  regret  that  I  shall  be  unable  to  avail  myself  of  this  great  op- 
portunity to  meet  my  masonic  brethren  and  enjoy  with  them  the  great 
pleasures  of  masonic  work. 

Kindly  convey  to  the  Grand  Master  of  Masons,  of  Connecticut  my 
sincere  and  fraternal  congratulations.  The  century  just  behind  us  has 
been  an  eventful  one ;  in  the  main  full  of  glories,  achievements  and 
beneficent  results,  masonry  has  contributed  its  great  and  immeasurable 
share  of  influence,  in  the  promotion  of  human  wellfare.  May  the  cele- 
bration of  the  Centennial  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut  not  only 
redound  to  its  honor  and  promote  its  future  success,  but  contribute 
generally  to  the  progress  and  glory  of  Freemasonry,  throughout  our 
great  country.  Respectfully  and  fraternally, 

CHARLES  F.  BUCK, 

Grand  Master. 


GRAND    LODGE   OF    LOUISIANA. 

F.  AND  A.  M. 

GRAND  SECRETARY'S  OFFICE, 
NEW  ORLEANS,  May  29,  1889. 

EDWARD  B.  ROWE,  J.  K.  WHEELER  and  DWIGHT  WAUGH, 

Committee  on  Invitations  of  the  M.  W.  G.  L,  of  Conn. 

BRETHREN  :  Your  card  with  the  invitation  of  M.  W.  J.  W.  Swart- 
wout  Grand  Master  to  participate  in  the  "  Celebration  of  the  Centennial 
Anniversary  of  the  Independence  "  on  July  loth  prox,  in  the  city  of 
New  Haven,  at  hand.  On  the  day  of  your  meeting  I  shall  be  three 
score  and  ten  and  one  years  of  age — over  forty-three  of  it  a  Mason.  In 
connection  with  the  latter  fact,  I  have  but  one  regret,  that  I  should 
not  have  proven  a  more  efficient  one.  With  many  thanks  for  the 
courtesy  extended,  I  can  only  say  that  circumstances  will  prevent  my 
being  present.  I  think  it  probable  that  our  M.  W.  Grand  Master  will 
be  with  you. 

May  your  celebration  prove  all  that  you  could  desire  it  to  be. 
May  it  indicate  a  greater  prosperity  for  your  Grand  Lodge  and  the  Craft 
in  the  coming  century,  than  you  have  enjoyed  in  the  past,  is  the  wish  of 
your  brother  and  well-wisher. 

JAMES   C.    BATCHELOR, 

Grand  Secretary. 


22  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


GRAND   LODGE  OF  MANITOBA, 

A.  F.  AND  A.  M. 

GRAND  SECRETARY'S  OFFICE,      ) 
WINNEPEG,  MAN.,  July  5,  1889.  \ 

].  K.  WHEELER,  Esq.,   Grand  Secretary, 

Hartford,  Conn. 
DEAR  SIR  AND  R.  W.  BROTHER  : 

I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  invitation  to 
be  present  at  the  celebration  of  the  Centennial  of  the  M.  W.  Grand 
Lodge  of  Connecticut  to  take  place  on  July  loth. 

It  would  give  me  much  pleasure  to  be  present  on  the  joyful  occa- 
sion and  I  have  delayed  my  reply  until  now,  hoping  to  be  able  to  so  ar- 
range my  business  engagements  as  to  enable  me  to  do  so,  but  I  now  find 
that  I  must  be  debarred  the  pleasure  of  participating  in  your  festivities. 

Wishing  you  and  the  fraternity  of  Connecticut  all  peace  and 
prosperity,  I  am  yours  fraternally, 

W.  G.  SCOTT,  Grand  Secretary. 

BOSTON,  MASS.,  July  6,  1889. 
J.  K.  WHEELER,  Esq., 

Dear  Sir  and  Worshipful  Brother: 

I  received  your  kind  invitation  to  be  present  at  the  celebration  of 
the  Centennial  of  the  Most  Worshipful  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut 
and  was  in  hopes  that  I  could  be  able  to  be  with  you,  but  owing  to  un- 
avoidable circumstances  it  will  be  impossible  for  me  to  be  with  you  which 
I  very  much  regret.  You  have  my  best  wishes  and  I  hope  you  will 
have  a  good  day  for  your  celebration. 

Yours  truly  and  fraternally, 

WILLIAM  J.  STEVENS. 


R.  W.  SIR  AND  BROTHER:  BOSTON,  July  5,  1889. 

I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  kind  invitation  of  the  M.  \V. 
Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut  to  attend  its  Centennial  Anniversary,  and 
I  hope  to  have  the  pleasure  of  being  with  you  on  that  occasion  as  I  have 
written  R.  W.  Bro.  Rowe.  I  have  just  returned  from  my  vacation  and 
was  unable  to  say  before  whether  I  could  come  or  not,  or  should  sooner 
have  acknowledged  your  courteous  invitation. 
Fraternally  yours, 

WM.  T.  R.   MARVIN,  P.  G.    W. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  23 


223  WASHINGTON  STREET,  ) 
BOSTON,  July  5,  1889.      ) 
R.  W.  Brother  J.  K.  WHEELER, 

Grand  Secretary. 

I  have  looked  at  the  invitation  to  attend  the  centennial  anniversary 
of  the  independence  of  the  Most  Worshipful  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecti- 
cut, on  July  loth.  1889,  with  feelings  of  gratitude  and  appreciation, 
mingled  with  deep  regret  that  other  engagements  take  me  elsewhere. 

The  intimate  relations  which  connect  Freemasonry  in  Connecticut 
with  that  in  Massachusetts,  and  makes  them  as  one  in  the  brotherhood 
since  1750,  appeal  with  special  force  to  my  regard  for  the  ties  which 
bind  us,  and  to  my  sense  of  the  high  reputation  achieved  by  the  Grand 
Lodges  of  both  jurisdictions. 

Having  personal  acquaintanceship  and  friendship  with  many  breth- 
ren of  obedience  to  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut,  the  reasons  mul- 
tiply for  me  to  give  every  good  wish  for  abounding  success  to  the  cen- 
tennial anniversary  celebration. 

Truly  and  fraternally  yours, 

ALFRED    F.  CHAPMAN. 


BOSTON,  July  3,  1889. 
R.  W.  J.  K.  WHEELER, 

Grand  Secretary,  F.  6"  A.  M.,  Connecticut. 

DEAR  SIR  :  The  invitation  sent  by  your  committee  to  the  Hon. 
H.  N.  Shepard,  to  be  present  at  the  celebration  of  your  centennial,  was 
duly  received.  I  thank  you  sincerely,  but  regret  to  say  that  he  is  and 
will  be  for  some  time  absent  from  the  State  and  in  the  West,  therefore 
he  will  be  unable  to  accept.  Yours  very  truly, 

WM.  G.   HAMBLETON. 


MASONIC  TEMPLE,       ) 

BOSTON,  May  31,  1889.  ) 
JOSEPH  K.  WHEELER,  Esq., 

Grand  Secretary,  Grand  Lodge  of  Conn. 
DEAR  SIR  AND  R.  W.  BRO.  : 

The  invitations  to  your  centennial  came  duly  to  hand.  The  Grand 
Master  and  Recording  Grand  Secretary  anticipate  great  pleasure  in 
being  with  you  on  that  occasion,  and  we  may  bring  one  or  two  other 
brethren  with  us.  Very  truly  and  fraternally  yours, 

SERENO    D.    NICKERSON, 

Recording  Grand  Secretary. 


24  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


BALTIMORE,  June  17,  1889. 
JOHN  H.  SWARTWOUT,  Esq., 

Grand  Master,  etc. 

MY  DEAR  SIR  AND  BRO.  :  On  my  return  after  an  absence  of  sev- 
eral weeks,  I  find  your  cordial  invitation  to  meet  and  celebrate  the  Cen- 
tennial of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut,  at  New  Haven,  July  10, 
5889.  I  thank  you  for  the  invitation,  and  will,  if  all  goes  well,  accept 
it  and  be  present  on  that  occasion. 

Fraternally  yours, 

HOWARD   B.    ENSIGN, 

P.  G.  M.  of  Gd.  L.  of  Conn. 


(IRANI)    LODGE   OF   MAINE, 

F.  AND  A.  M. 

OFFICE  OF  THE  GRAND  MASTER,  ) 
PORTLAND,  June  24,  1889.      ) 
M.  VV.  JOHN  H.  SWARTWOUT, 

Grand  Master,  Grand  Lodge  of  Conn.,  F.  and  A.  M., 

Stamford,  Conn. 
MY  DEAR  SIR  AND  BROTHER: 

When  I  received  the  invitation  to  be  present  at  the  Centennial  An- 
niversary of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut,  I  made,  as  I  thought, 
every  necessary  arrangement  to  be  present ;  but  I  am  summoned  to  the 
eastern  part  of  this  state  to  perform  Masonic  duty  on  the  loth  of  July 
next.  I  am,  therefore,  obliged  by  letter  to  decline  your  invitation,  and 
send  my  congratulations  by  letter  instead  of  bringing  them  personally. 
I  wish  you  a  successful  and  happy  day  and  may  prosperity  ever  come  to 
this  honored  fraternity  under  your  care  and  direction. 
Fraternally  yours, 

ALBRO  E.  CHASE,  Grand  Master. 


LEWISTON  COMMANDERY,  NO.  6, 
KNIGHTS  TEMPLAR. 

EMINENT  COMMANDER'S  OFFICE,         ) 
AUBURN.  ME.,  Jan.  6,  1889.  ) 

DEAR  SIR  AND  BROTHER  :  Your  very  courteous  invitation  to  me  to 
be  present  at  the  celebration  of  the  Centennial  Anniversary  of  the  Most 
Worshipful  Grind  Lodge  of  Connecticut  was  received  this  morning. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  25 


It  would  afford  me  much  pleasure  to  be  present  and  participate  in 
the  ceremonies  of  the  occasion  if  I  had  not  previously  engaged  to  be 
present  and  assist  in  dedicating  a  new  hall  in  this  state. 

But  I  can  only  extend  my  best  wishes  and  fraternal  regards  to  you 
and  to  all  the  Brethren  of  our  Sister  Grand  Lodge. 
Fraternally  yours, 

ALGERNON  M.  ROAK, 

/.   G.    Warden. 

OFFICE  OF 

GRAND    MASTER   OF   MASONS 
IN  MISSISSIPPI. 

M.  W.  JOHN  H.  SWARTWOUT,  VICKSBURG,  May  3,  1889. 

Grand  Master  of  Masons. 

Stamford,  Conn. 

M.  W.  SIR  AND  BRO.  :  I  acknowledge  receipt  of  your  cordial  and 
fraternal  invitation  to  be  present  and  participate  in  the  ceremonies  in- 
cident to  the  celebration  of  the  Centennial  Anniversary  of  the  Inde- 
pendence of  the  M.  W.  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut,  dn  July  loth 
instant  and  express  my  great  regret  that  circumstances  prevent  my  ac- 
ceptance. 

It  would  afford  me  much  pleasure  to  meet  the  brethren  of  your 
grand  jurisdiction  at  any  time,  and  I  should  esteem  it  a  great  privilege 
to  be  with  them  on  such  an  auspicious  occasion. 

Fraternally  yours, 

W.  G.  PAXTON, 
Grand  Master. 

BALTIMORE,  May  30,  1889. 
JOHN  H.  SWARTWOUT,  Esq., 

Grand  Master  of  Masons  of  Connecticut. 

M.  W.  SIR  AND  MASTER  :  I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the 
receipt  of  your  cordial  invitation  to  be  present  and  participate  in  the 
ceremonies  attendant  upon  the  celebration  of  the  Centennial  Anni- 
versary of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut,  on  July  roth  next. 

It  was  my  misfortune  now  nearly  a  year  ago  to  be  severely  disabled 
in  a  railroad  accident,  and  I  am  still  engaged  in  a  strenuous  but  hopeful 
effort  to  recover  from  the  effects  of  injuries  received.  I  need  not  as- 
sure you  that  it  would  give  me  great  pleasure  to  join  with  my  Masonic 


THE   CENTENNIAL. 


Brethren  in  these  ceremonies.  As  the  representative  of  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  Connecticut  near  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Maryland,  although  not 
able  to  accept  your  invitation  and  be  present,  it  will  be  my  pleasure  and 
duty  to  inform  Maryland  Masons  as  to  all  matters  of  interest  in  con- 
nection with  your  celebration. 

The  Grand  Lodge  of  Maryland  in  May,  1887,  held  its  Centennial 
Anniversary,  and  I  can  only  wish  for  your  Grand   Lodge   the  same 
measure  of  success  that  attended  our  celebration. 
Fraternally  yours, 

S.    L.   STOCKBRIDGE, 

R.  W.  Deputy  Grand  Master  of  Md. 

Rep.  of  G.  L.  of  Conn.,  near  the  G.  L.  of  Md. 


MASONIC  TEMPLE, 
BALTIMORE,  MD.,  June  3,  18 

R.  W.  BROTHER  J.  K.  WHEELER, 

Grand  Secretary,  Grand  Lodge  of  Conn. 

The  Most  Worshipful  Grand  Master  of  Maryland  accepts  with 
pleasure  the  invitation  of  the  Most  Worshipful  Grand  Lodge  of  the 
State  of  Connecticut,  to  be  present  on  July  loth,  to  the  celebration  of 
their  Centennial  Anniversary. 

THOS.  J.  SHRYOCK, 
Grand  Master. 

DEAR  BRO.  WHEELER:  PORTLAND,  ME.,  May  27,  1889. 

I  have  your  invitation  to  be  present  at  the  celebration  of  the  cen- 
tennial of  your  Grand  Lodge,  on  the  loth  of  July.  I  hope  to  be  able 
to  be  present.  I  shall  certainly  do  my  utmost  to  do  so,  but  it  comes, 
unfortunately  for  me,  at  a  time  when  I  am  likely  to  have  business  en- 
gagements that  I  cannot  avoid  or  postpone.  Courts  here  will  hardly 
allow  a  lawyer  to  be  sick,  and  they  certainly  will  not  allow  one  to  be 
away  on  an  expedition  of  this  character  when  cases  are  reached  in 
court.  The  court  then  in  session  is  our  law  court,  which  remains  in 
session  only  about  ten  days,  and  on  that  account  it  is  much  more  diffi- 
cult to  arrange  for  a  postponement  of  any  case  that  may  be  in  order. 
However,  I  am  very  grateful  for  the  invitation,  and  as  I  said  before, 
shall  try  very  hard  to  be  with  you. 

As  ever,  yours  fraternally, 

JOSIAH    H.   DRUMMOND. 


THE    CENTENNIAL.  27 


OFFICE  OF   THE   GRAND    MASTER 

OF 

FREE  AND  ACCEPTED  MASONS, 

IN   THE 

STATE  OF  NEW  JERSEY. 

HADDONFIELD,  N.  J.,  July  6,  1889. 

R.  W.  J.  K.  WHEELER,  Grand  Secretary, 

M.  W.  Grand  Lodge  of  Conn. 

R.  W.  SIR  AND  BRO.  :  I  am  in  hopes  of  being  present  at  the  cen- 
tennial celebration  of  your  Grand  Lodge  ;  and  as  none  of  my  associate 
grand  officers  have  been  able  to  accept  your  kind  invitation,  I  have 
taken  the  liberty  of  asking  M.  W.  Brother  Robert  M.  Moore,  P.  G.  M., 
to  accompany  me.  Trusting  same  will  meet  with  your  approval  and 
that  of  your  M.  W.  Grand  Master,  I  remain 

Very  truly  and  fraternally  yours, 

CHAS.    H.    MANN, 
Grand  Master. 

OFFICE   OF   THE 

GRAND  SECRETARY,  GRAND  LODGE  OF  PENNSYLVANIA, 
FREE  AND  ACCEPTED  MASONS. 

MASONIC  TEMPLE,  ) 

PHILADELPHIA,  July  2,  1889.  I 

J.  K.  WHEELER,  Esq.,  Grand  Secretary, 

Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut. 
My  Dear  Sir  and  R.  W.  Brother : 

Kindly  inform  your  M.  W.  Grand  Master  that  I  accept  with  pleas- 
ure his  fraternal  invitation  to  participate  in  the  Centennial  Anniversary 
of  the  independence  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  on  the  loth  instant. 
Yours  truly  and  fraternally, 

MICHAEL   NISBET, 
Grand  Secretarv. 

NEWARK,  N.  J.,  July  i,  1889. 
Mr.  J.  K.  WHEELER,  Grand  Secretary, 

Hartford,  Conn. 

R.  W.  AND  DEAR  BRO.  :  I  am  in  receipt  of  invitation  to  attend  the 
celebration  of  the  Centennial  of  your  Grand  Lodge,  on  the  loth  inst., 
and  sincerely  regret  my  inability  to  meet  with  you  on  that  occasion. 


28  THE    CENTENNIAL. 


Please  accept  my  congratulations  and  the  heartiest  of  good  wishes 
that  the  prosperity  of  your  Grand  Lodge  and  the  advancement  of  Ma- 
sonry in  your  jurisdiction,  in  the  coming  century,  may  not  only  equal 
but  far  surpass  the  record  of  the  century  no>v  drawing  to  a  close. 

Thanking  you  for  your  fraternal  courtesy,  I  am 

Yours  very  truly  and  fraternally, 

C.  BELCHER,  /  G.  IV. 


OFFICE  OF  THF. 

GRAND  MASTER  OF  MASONS. 

IN  THE 

STATE  OF  NEW  YORK. 

HERKIMER,  N.  Y.,  June  22,   1889. 
R.  VV.  J.  K.  WHEELER, 

Grand  Secretary, 

Hartford,  Conn. 
Mv  DEAR  SIR  AND  R.  W.  BRO.  : 

I  beg  leave  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  fraternal  favor  in- 
viting me  to  participate  in  your  Centennial  Celebration  July  loth. 
It  will  afford  me  much  pleasure  to  accept  the  same. 
Thanking  you  for  the  courtesy  so  generously  extended. 

Yours  fraternally, 

JOHN    W.   VROOMAN, 

Grand  Master. 


GRAND  LODGE  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA, 

A.  F.  AND  A.  M. 

OFFICE  OF  GRAND  SECRETARY.  | 
RALEIGH,  June   17,  1889.      ) 
JOSEPH  K.  WHEELER,  Esq., 

R.    IV.   Grand  Secretary, 

Hartford,  Conn. 

DEAR  SIR  AND  BRO.  :  I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  invi- 
tation to  be  present  at  the  celebration  of  the  Centennial  of  the  M.  W. 
Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut,  at  New  Haven,  July  loth,  1889. 

I  sincerely  regret  that  pressing  duties — civil  and  masonic — will  pre- 
vent my  presence  on  that  interesting  occasion,  but  hope  you  will  re- 


THE    CEXTKXXIAI..  29 


ceive  favorable  responses  from  all,  or  some  of  the  Grand  Officers  of  this 
Grand  Body  to  whom  the  invitation  was  sent  through  this  office. 
My  fraternal  greetings  to  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut. 

Fraternally  yours, 

D.   W.    BAIN, 

Grand  Secretary. 


GRAND   LODGE   OF    NEW    HAMPSHIRE, 

A.  F.  AND  A.  M. 

NASHUA,  N.  H.,  June  17,  1889. 

R.  W.  J.  K.  WHEELER, 

Grand  Secretary  of  Connecticut. 

WOR.  SIR  AND  BRO.  :  Allow  me  through  you  to  accept  with  thanks 
the  kind  invitation  to  participate  with  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut 
in  celebrating  their  Centennial,  July  loth. 

Unless  some  unforseen  accident  should  occur  I  hope  to  have  the 
pleasure  of  being  with  you. 

Fraternally  yours, 

G.   W.  CURRIER, 

Grand  Master. 


GRAND    LODGE   OF   NOVA   SCOTIA. 

OAKFIELD,  NOVA  SCOTIA,  June  8,  1889. 

DEAR  SIR  AND  M.  W.  BROTHER  : 

I  sincerely  regret  that  pressing  business  engagements  prevent  my 
having  the  pleasure  of  accepting  your  cordial  and  fraternal  invitation  to 
attend  the  ceremonies  connected  with  the  celebration  of  the  Centennial 
Anniversary  of  the  Independence  of  your  Grand  Lodge. 

I  can  but  wish  that  in  every  particular  you  may  have  a  most  suc- 
cessful meeting,  and  that  every  prosperity  may  attend  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  Connecticut.  Fraternally  yours, 

J.   WIMBURN    LAURIE, 

P.   G.  Master. 


30  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


OFFICE  OK  THE  GRAND  MASTER 

OF 

FREE  AND  ACCEPTED  MASONS, 

IN   THE 

STATE   OF   NEW  JERSEY. 

HADDONFIELD,  N.  J.,  June  8,  1889. 

R.  W.  J.  K.  WHEELER, 

Grand  Secretary,  Grand  Lodge  of  Conn.,  F.  and  A.  M. 

Hartford,  Conn. 

R.  W.  SIR  AND  BROTHER  :  The  M.  W.  Grand  Master  directs  me  to 
inform  you  that  he  has  received  the  kind  invitation  to  be  present  at  the 
Centennial  Celebration  of  your  M.  W.  Grand  Lodge  and  to  say  that  if 
possible  he  will  take  great  pleasure  in  being  present. 

Fraternally  yours, 

JAS.   A.   WEBB, 

Secretary  to  Grand  Master. 


GRAND   LODGE   OF   NOVA   SCOTIA, 
OFFICE  OF  GRAND  SECRETARY. 

FREEMASONS'  HALL,      ) 
HALIFAX,  June  i,  1889.  ) 
R.  W.  J.  K.  WHEELER, 

Grand  Sec'y,  G.  L.  Connecticut. 

R.  W.  SIR  AND  BROTHER  :  Kindly  offer  to  the  Committee  on  Invi- 
tation, and  through  them  to  the  M.  W.  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut,  my 
sincere  thanks  for  the  wish  to  have  me  present  at  your  centennial. 

I  am  unfortunately  utterly  unable  to  attend.  I  deeply  regret  this, 
and  warmly  appreciate  the  invitation. 

May  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut  celebrate  its  first  centennial 
with  every  possible  success,  and  may  she  see  many  another — each  suc- 
ceeding one  excelling  its  predecessor. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  R.  W.  Sir  and  brother, 

Most  fraternally  yours, 

DAVID    MOORE, 

Grand  Master  Mason  of  Nora  Scotia. 


THE   CENTENNIAL. 


GRAND  CENTRAL  DEPOT,  ) 
JUNE  4,  1889.      ) 

Mr.  Chauncey  M.  Depew  deeply  regrets  that  another  engagement 
will  prevent  his  acceptance  of  Mr.  Swartwout's  kind  invitation  to  be 
present  at  the  celebration  of  the  Centennial  Anniversary  of  the  Inde- 
pendence of  the  Most  Worshipful  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut,  July  10. 


MASONIC  HALL, 
NEW  YORK,  May  31,  1889. 
R.  VV.  JOSEPH  K.  WHEELER, 

Hartford,  Conn. 

DEAR  SIR  AND  BROTHER  :  I  beg  to  acknowlege  the  receipt  of  your 
invitation  to  the  Centennial  Celebration  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Con- 
necticut, on  the  loth  of  July  next,  and  will  endeavor  to  do  myself  the 
honor  of  being  present. 

With  assurances  of  high  regard,  and  many  thanks  for  this  mark  of 
your  favor,  believe  me,  Yours  in  the  craft, 

E.  M.  L.  EHLERS, 
Grand  Secretary. 

OMAHA,  NEB.,  June  17,  5889. 
Bro.  J.  K.  WHEELER,  R.  IV.  G.  Sect., 

New  Haven,  Conn., 

R.  W.  AND  DEAR  BROTHER  :  I  am  in  receipt  of  invitation  from 
John  H.  Swartwout,  M.  W.  Grand  Master,  to  participate  in  the  celebra- 
tion of  the  Centennial  Anniversary  of  the  M.  W.  Grand  Lodge  of  Free 
and  Accepted  Masons  of  Connecticut,  which  takes  places  July  10,  A.  L. 
5889.  Please  accept  my  sincerest  thanks  for  the  kind  invitation,  also 
my  regrets,  as  it  will  be  impossible  for  me  to  be  present. 
Fraternally  yours, 

J.   J.   MERCER,  D.  G.  M. 

CLEVELAND,  OHIO,  July  4,  1889. 
R.  W.  J.  K.  WHEELER, 

Gr.  Sec.  G.  Z.,  F.  <5r-  A.  J/., 

New  Haven,  Conn. 

DEAR  SIR  AND  BRO.  :  I  am  in  receipt  of  invitation  to  attend  cen- 
tennial of  your  Grand  Lodge,  but  must  most  regretfully  decline  on 
account  of  my  business  engagements. 


32  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


Thanking  you  for  your  courtesy,  and  hoping  that  the  occasion  will 
shed  additional  renown  upon  your  Grand  Lodge,  your  State,  and  the 
Fraternity  wherever  dispersed,  I  am 

Fraternally  yours, 

SAM.   BRIGGS, 

P.  M.  Iris  Lodge.  229, 

Cleveland,  Ohio. 

174  Mt.  Vernon  St., 
NEWARK,  O.,  June  22,  1889. 
M.  W.  JOHN  H.  SWARTWOUT, 

Grand  Master  of  Masons, 

Stamford,  Conn. 

DEAR  SIR  :  In  acknowledgement  of  your  kind  invitation  to  partici- 
pate in  the  Centennial  ceremonies  of  the  M.  W.  Grand  Lodge  Free 
and  Accepted  Masons  of  Connecticut,  and  with  due  appreciation  of  the 
honor  extended — permit  me  to  express  my  most  sincere  regrets  that  I 
cannot  avail  myself  of  the  courtesy  extended. 

Trusting  that  your  venerable  Grand  Lodge  may  always  continue  to 
maintain  the  high  position  it  now  occupies,  and  with  personal  regards 
to  you,  M.  W.  Sir,  I  remain, 

Truly  and  fraternally  yours, 

W.  M.  CUNNINGHAM. 

P.  G.  M. 

NEWARK,  O.,  May  29,  1889. 
J.  K.  WHEELER,  Esq., 

J?.  W.  Grand  Secretary  G.  L.  of  Conn. 
DEAR  SIR  AND  R.  W.  BRO.  : 

I  beg  to  acknowledge  receipt  of  your  kind  invitation  to  attend  the 
celebration  of  the  centennial  of  your  M.  W.  Grand  Lodge.  Please  ac- 
cept my  best  thanks  for  the  compliment  and  rest  assured  that  if  it  was 
possible,  I  would  mingle  with  the  craft  of  your  grand  old  state  upon 
that  occasion. 

Circumstances  however  forbid  and  I  must  forego  the  pleasure. 
With  my  best  wishes  for  the  success  of  your  Grand  Lodge  for  the 
next  and  many  more  centuries,  I  am, 

Fraternally. 

S.   STACKER    WILLIAMS. 

P.  G.  M. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  33 


ASTORIA,  OR.,  June  10,  1889. 
R.  W.  J.  K.  WHEELER, 

Grand  Secretary  of  the  G.  Z.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.  of  Conn. 
R.  W.  SIR  AND  BROTHER  :  I  am  in  receipt  of  your  valued  invitation 
to  be  present  at  the  celebration  of  the  Centennial  of  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  Connecticut  on  July  roth,  1889. 

I  regret  that  owing  to  the  great  distance  between  us  it  will  be  im- 
possible for  me  to  be  with  you. 

Thanking  you  for  the  kind  invitation,  I  remain,  fraternally  yours, 

B.   VAN    DUSEN, 
Deputy   Grand  Master. 

PHILADELPHIA,  July  8,  1889. 
J.  K.  WHEELER,  Esq., 

R.  W.  Grand  Sec 'y.,  M.  IV.  G.  L.  of  Conn.,  F.  and  A.  M., 

New  Haven. 

M.  W.  SIR  AND  BROTHER  :  I  delayed  immediate  reply  to  your  M. 
W.  Grand  Master  Swartwout's  fraternal  invitation  to  the  Centennial 
celebration  of  Independence  of  the  M.  W.  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut, 
hoping  that  some  barriers  in  the  way  of  my  attendance  might  be  re- 
moved. I  now  find  that  I  cannot  be  in  attendance  on  the  loth  inst.  and 
deeply  regret  that  I  shall  be  deprived  of  the  pleasure  of  being  present 
during  the  interesting  ceremonies  of  rounding  out  the  first,  and 
inaugurating  the  second  century  of  your  venerable  Grand  Lodge. 

Thanking  the  M.  W.  Grand  Master  for  his  kind  remembrance  of 
the  writer,  I  am,  fraternally  yours, 

J.  SIMPSON    AFRICA, 

Deputy  Grand  Master  of  Penn. 


OFFICE  OK  THE 

R.   W.   THE   GRAND    MASTER 

OF 

FREE  AND  ACCEPTED  MASONS, 
OF  PENNSYLVANIA. 

MASONIC  TEMPLE, 
PHILADELPHIA,  June  29,  1889. 
J.  K.  WHEELER,  Esq., 

Grand  Secretary  of  the  'M.   W.  G.  L.  of  F.  and  A.  M.,  in   Conn. 
DEAR  SIR  AND  BROTHER  : 

I  accept,  with  fraternal  thanks,  the  courteous  invitation  of  Brothers 
Edward  B.  Rowe,  J.  K.  Wheeler  and  Dwight  Waugh,  committee  on  in- 
3 


34  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


vitation,  to  be  present  at  the  celebration  of  the  Centennial  of  the  M. 
W.  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut,  in  the  city  of  New  Haven,  on  July 
loth  next. ;  and  I  congratulate  your  Grand  Body  upon  being  about  to 
attain  the  distinction  of  flowering  as  a  century  plant  in  the  Craft. 

Cordially  and  fraternally  yours, 

CLIFFORD  P.    MAC  CALLA, 

Grand  Master. 


PHILADELPHIA,  June  7,  1889. 
R.  W.  JOSEPH  K.  WHEELER, 

Grand  Secretary. 

R.  W.  DEAR  SIR  AND  BROTHER  :  Let  me  offer  you  my  most  fraternal 
appreciation  of  your  courtesy  in  extending  to  me  an  invitation  to  be 
present  with  your  M.  W.  Grand  Lodge  at  its  Centennial  celebration. 

Most  earnestly  do  I  desire  to  be  present. 

Yet,  if  you  will  allow  me  to  return  a  conditional  acceptance,  it  will 
be  gratifying,  as  circumstances,  or  an  unavoidable  occurrence  may  deny 
me  the  pleasure  of  being  with  you. 

Most  fraternally, 

RICHARD  VAUX,  P.  G.  M. 


GRAND   LODGE   OF   PENNSYLVANIA. 

SHARON,  PENN.,  June  20,  1889. 
JOSEPH  K.  WHEELER,  Esq., 

Grand  Secretary  G.  L.,  f.  and  A.  M., 

New  Haven,  Conn. 

R.  W.  SIR  AND  BRO.  :  I  regret  that  it  will  be  impossible  for  me  to 
accept  your  invitation  to  the  Centennial  celebration  of  your  Grand 
Lodge  on  July  loth  next. 

Thanking  you  for  the  remembrance  and  wishing  you  all  the 
pleasure  which  such  an  occasion  should  afford.  I  am, 

Truly  and  fraternally  yours, 

MATTHIAS    H.    HENDERSON. 

Junior   Grand   Warden. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  35 


GRAND   LODGE   OF  QUEBEC, 

A.  F.  AND  A.  M. 

GRAND  SECRETARY'S  OFFICE,      ) 

MONTREAL,  P.  O.,  Tuly  6,  1880.  ) 
J.  K.  WHEELER,  Esq., 

Grand  Secretary  G.  L.  of  Conn.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M. 
R.  W.  BRO.  AND  DEAR  SIR  :  I  beg  even  at  this  late  day  to  ac- 
knowledge the  receipt  of  the  fraternal  invitation  extended  to  M.  Wor. 
Grand  Master  Starnes  and  myself  to  be  present  at  the  celebration  of 
the  Centennial  of  the  M.  W.  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut,  to  take 
place  in  the  city  of  New  Haven  on  July  loth,  1889. 

I  regret  to  state  that  both  Grand  Master  Starnes  and  myself  owing 
to  the  pressure  of  business  will  be  unable  to  be  with  your  Grand  Lodge 
on  the  above  referred  to  occasion.  This  we  much  regret  and  is  a 
source  of  no  small  disappointment  to  us,  as  we  had  hoped  to  have  ar- 
ranged matters  so  as  to  be  with  you  on  so  interesting  an  occasion  and 
event  as  that  you  are  about  to  celebrate. 

We  both  hope  and  expect  that  everything  in  connection  with  your 
proposed  celebration  will  pass  off  with  every  success. 
With  assurance  of  esteem,  believe  me, 

Yours  truly  and  fraternally, 

JOHN    H.   ISAACSON, 

Grand  Secretary. 

GRAND  COMMANDERY  OF  KNIGHTS  TEMPLARS, 

AND   THE 

APPENDANT    ORDERS    OF    MASSACHUSETTS    AND    RHODE    ISLAND 
OFFICE  OF  THE  GRAND  COMMANDER, 

CENTRAL  FALLS,  R.  L,  July  5,  1889. 
R.  W.  J.   K.  WHEELER, 

Grand  Secretary  M.  W.  G.  L.  of  the  State  of  Conn. 
DEAR  SIR  AND  R.  W.  BROTHER  : 

Your  courteous  invitation  to  be  present  at  the  Centennial  celebra- 
tion of  the  M.  W.  Grand  Lodge  'of  Connecticut  received.  I  had  ex- 
pected to  be  able  to  accept,  but  unfortunately  I  shall  be  away  in  the 
State  of  Maine,  unless  something  occurs  to  prevent.  I  regret  very  much 
not  to  be  able  to  meet  the  Connecticut  fraters  on  that  interesting  oc- 
casion. Please  give  my  very  best  wishes  and  congratulations  to  your 
M.  W.  Grand  Master,  and  also  my  congratulations  on  the  successful 
and  honorable  settlement  of  the  difficulty  with  Hiram  Lodge. 
Courteously  yours, 

E.  L.  FREEMAN,  P.  G.  M. 


30  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


THE  GRAND  MASTER  OF  MASONS  IN  RHODE  ISLAND. 

PROVIDENCE,  July  5,  1889. 
R.  W.  J.  K.  WHEELER, 

Grand  Secretary  of  the  G.  L.  of  Conn.,  F.  and  A.  M. 

DEAR  SIR  AND  R.  W.  BRO.  :  Your  kind  invitation  to  attend  the 
Centennial  exercises  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut  is  at  hand. 

It   gives  me   pleasure    to   accept   the   invitation,  and  if  nothing 
serious  occurs  to  prevent,  I  shall  be  present  at  that  time. 

Will  you  kindly  inform  me  at  what  hour  in  the  day  the  exercises 
commence  and  what  place  I  shall  find  you  ? 

With  many  thanks  for  your  courtesy,  I  remain, 

Yours  fraternally, 

GEO.   H.   KENYON. 


THE   FREEMASONS  REPOSITORY. 

PROVIDENCE,  R.  L,  July  3,  1889. 
J.  K.  WHEELER,  Esq., 

Grand  Secretary. 

MY  DEAR  SIR  AND  BRO.  :  It  would  afford  me  special  satisfaction 
to  accept  the  invitation  with  which  I  have  been  honored  and  be  present 
at  the  celebration  of  the  Centennial  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut 
on  the  nth  inst.  An  engagement  for  the  date  named  will  prevent  my 
enjoying  the  pleasure  of  visiting  with  Masonic  brethren,  whom  I  esteem 
and  honor  on  an  occasion  so  charged  with  interest  and  significance. 

I  trust  that  the  commemoration  observance  may  be  in  all  respects 
pleasant,  and  that  it  may  tend  to  cherish  and  strengthen  those  kindly, 
fraternal  bonds  and  feelings  which  are  the  natural  outcome  of  our  be- 
nign institution.  I  am,  Yours  fraternally, 

HENRY  W.   RUGG. 

PROVIDENCE,  R.  L,  July  i,  1889. 
R.  W.  J.  K.  WHEELER, 

Grand  Secretary  of  Connecticut. 

DEAR  SIR  AND  BRO.  :  I  regret  that  my  business  will  prevent  me 
from  attending  the  Centennial  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Masons  of  Con- 
necticut on  the  loth  inst.  Please  accept  my  thanks  for  the  invitation, 
and  my  best  wishes  for  the  continued  success  of  the  Craft  in  our 
sister  State.  Fraternally, 

ELISHA   H.   RHODES, 

Senior  Grand  Warden. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  37 


GRAND    LODGE   OF   RHODE    ISLAND, 

A.  F.  AND  A.  M. 

OFFICE  OF  THE  GRAND  SECRETARY, 

PROVIDENCE,  R.  I.,  June  27,  188 
R.  VV.  JOSEPH  K.  WHEELER, 

DEAR  SIR  AND  BRO.  :  With  pleasure  I  acknowledge  the  receipt  of 
an  invitation  to  attend  your  "  Centennial "  and  return  my  thanks  for 
the  kind  remembrance. 

I  shall  be  present  on  that  occasion  if  nothing  prevents  and  antici- 
pate a  "  glorious  time." 

With  kindest  regards  for  your  M.  W.  Grand  Master  and  the  Craft, 
I  am,  Yours  fraternally. 

EDWIN    BAKER. 


CITY  OF  PROVIDENCE,  June  7,  1889. 
JOHN  W.  SWARTWOUT,  Esq., 

M.    W.   Grand  Master. 

DEAR  SIR  :  I  am  in  receipt  of  your  kind  invitation  to  be  present  at 
the  celebration  of  the  Centennial  Anniversary  of  the  independence  of 
your  M.  W.  Grand  Lodge,  July  loth,  1889,  and  regret  my  inability  to 
accept,  as  on  the  9th  and  loth  I  am  engaged  to  try  in  court  a  case  in 
Newport. 

I  am  sorry  that  I  cannot  be  with  you,  and  should  anything  inter- 
vene to  rid  me  of  my  engagement  I  will  notify  you  and  be  with  you. 

Fraternally  yours, 

C.  VANDEYCK. 

ST.  JOHNS,  N.  B.,  July  9,  1889. 
R.  W.  BRO.  J.  K.  WHEELER, 

Hartford,  Conn. 
DEAR  SIR  AND  BROTHER  : 

Kindly  permit  me  to  return  thanks  to  your  committee  for  their 
courteous  invitation  to  be  present  at  the  Centennial  celebration  of  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut.  Up  to  yesterday  I  had  a  hope  that  I 
might  be  able  to  be  present,  but  imperative  necessity  compels  me  to  be 
at  home.  I  sincerely  wish  you  a  most  enjoyable  festival,  and  trust  that 
the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut  may  continue  to  flourish  and  to 
prosecute  vigorously  her  work  in  the  cause  of  humanity. 
Fraternally  yours, 

JOHN   V.   ELLIS,  P.  G.  M. 


38  THE  CENTENNIAL. 


GRAND  LODGE  OF  NEW  BRUNSWICK, 

F.  AND  A.  M. 

OFFICE  OF  GRAND  SECRETARY,  ) 
SAINT  JOHN,  July  8,  1889.      ) 
R.  W.  Bro.  J.  K.  WHEELER, 

Grand  Secretary  of  Connecticut, 

DEAR  SIR  :  I  am  very  sorry  not  to  be  able  to  accept  your  very 
kind  invitation  to  be  present  at  the  Centennial  of  the  M.  W.  Grand 
Lodge  of  Connecticut,  on  the  loth  instant. 

I  trust,  however,  you  may  have  a  bright  and  pleasant  gathering  on 
that  occasion,  and  that  all  your  fond  hopes  may  be  realized  in  carrying 
out  your  plans.  May  the  Great  Architect  of  the  Universe  prosper  all 
your  undertakings. 

Our  M.  W.  Grand  Master  has  been  absent  from  the  jurisdiction 
since  our  Annual  Communication.  He  is  in  England. 

With  kind  and  fraternal  regards, 

EDWIN  J.  WETMORE, 

Grand  Secretary. 


BLACKVILLE,  S.  C.,  June  26,  1889. 
R.  W.  J.  K.  WHEELER, 

New  Haven,  Conn. 

R.  W.  SIR  AND  BRO.  :  I  have  delayed  my  acknowledgement  of  the 
reception  of  an  invitation  from  your  Committee  on  Invitation,  to  be 
present  at  the  Celebration  of  the  Centennial  of  the  M.  W.  Grand  Lodge 
of  Connecticut,  at  New  Haven,  on  the  loth  July  prox.,  hoping  that  I 
might  so  shape  my  affairs  as  to  enable  me  to  be  present.  I  find  now  that 
professional  engagements  will  not  permit  me  to  leave  the  State  at  that 
time.  I  regret  it  exceedingly,  as  I  am  confident  that  the  occasion  will 
be  one  which  I  should  very  much  enjoy. 

Wishing  the  brethren  of  Connecticut  and  all  who  may  be  permitted 
to  attend  from  wherever  dispersed,  a  grand  and  successful  demonstra- 
tion, full  of  brotherly  love  and  charity, 

I  am  very  truly  and  fraternally  yours, 

LAURIE  T.  IZLAR, 

D.  G.  M.  So.  Ca. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  39 


MEMPHIS,  TENN.,  June  12,  1889. 
R.  W.  J.  K.  WHEELER, 

Grand  Secretary, 

New  Haven,  Conn. 

DEAR  SIR  AND  BRO.  :  I  am  in  receipt  of  an  invitation  to  be  pres- 
ent at  the  Celebration  of  the  Centennial  of  the  M.  W.  Grand  Lodge  of 
Connecticut,  to  take  place  in  the  city  of  New  Haven,  July  10,  1889. 

I  accept  with  pleasure  the  very  kind  invitation,  and  trust  to  be  with 
you  on  that  interesting  occasion. 

Fraternally  yours, 

B.  F.  HALLER, 

D.  G.  M.  of  Tenn. 

SALT  LAKE  CITY,  June  3,  1889. 
R.  W.  J.  K.  WHEELER, 

Grand  Secretary, 

New  Haven,  Conn. 

DEAR  SIR  AND  BRO.  :  Please  accept  my  thanks  for  the  invitation 
so  cordially  extended  to  your  Centennial  Celebration.  My  regrets  that 
circumstances  will  not  allow  me  to  attend  are  only  exceeded  by  the 
wish  that  those  whose  good  fortune  enables  them  to  be  present,  may  so 
enjoy  the  occasion  that  they  may  wish,  if  possible,  an  existence  for  the 
M.  W.  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut  and  its  present  members,  of 
another  hundred  years  to  celebrate  their  next  Centennial. 
Fraternally  yours, 

A.  M.  GRANT, 
D.  G.  M.  Grand  Lodge  of  Utah. 


OGDEN,  UTAH,  June  4,   1889. 
R.  W.  Bro.  J.  K.  WHEELER, 

Grand  Sec'y  of  Conn. 

DEAR  SIR  AND  BRO.  :  I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  receipt  of 
valued  invitation  to  your  Centennial,  emanated  by  M.  W.  Brother 
Swartvvout. 

I  sincerely  regret  that  prior  engagements  make  it  quite  impossible 
for  me  to  be  present. 

Our  Grand  Secretary,  R.  W.  Bro.  Diehl  will  however  be  with  you 
and  represent  Utah. 

With  high  esteem,  I  am  sincerely  yours, 

A.  P.  HAYWOOD,   G.  M.  Utah. 


40  THE    CENTENNIAL. 


GRAND   LODGE   OF  UTAH, 

A.  F.  AND  A.  M. 

OFFICE  OF  THE  GRAND  SECRETARY, 
SALT  LAKE  CITY,  UTAH,  June  2,  1889. 

JOSEPH  K.  WHEELER,  Esq., 

Grand  Secretary, 

Hartford,  Conn. 

R.  W.  SIR  AND  DEAR  BRO.  :  Last  night's  mail  brought  me  an  invi- 
tation from  the  M.  W.  John  H.  Swartwout,  Grand  Master  of  Masons  in 
Connecticut,  to  be  present  at  and  participate  in  the  ceremonies  of  the 
Celebration  of  the  Centennial  Anniversary  of  the  M.  W.  Grand  Lodge 
of  Connecticut,  for  which  I  desire  to  thank  the  M.  W.  Brother  most 
sincerely. 

I  am  requested  to  report  to  you  my  acceptance  of  the  cordial  invi- 
tation, and  it  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  inform  you  that,  if  the  sky  over 
the  holy  City  of  the  Saints  remains  as  clear  as  at  the  present  writing, 
and  the  carrier  pigeon  brings  me  the  promised  tidings  from  the  City  of 
Elms,  you  may  "  count  me  as  one  "  who  shall  report  "  present  "  at  roll- 
call  on  the  loth  day  of  July  next. 

Please  convey  my  fraternal  salutations  to  the  M.  W.  Brother  John 
H.  Swartwout,  and  believe  me  to  be, 

Truly  yours, 

CHRISTOPHER   DIEHL, 

Grand  Sec'y  Utah. 

WHEELING,  WEST  VA.,  June  20,   1889. 
JOSEPH  K.  WHEELER,  Esq., 

Grand  Secretary, 

New  Haven,  Conn. 

MY  DEAR  SIR  AND  BRO.  :  I  own  receipt  of  your  courteous  invita- 
tion to  be  present  at  the  celebration  of  the  Centennial  of  the  M.  W. 
Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut,  which  takes  place  July  10,  next.  I  regret 
to  have  to  say  that  I  cannot  join  with  you  in  commemorating  that  great 
occasion.  I  know  it  will  be  a  gathering  of  great  interest  to  the  Craft, 
and  I  assure  you  I  would  delight  to  be  present. 

Express  my  regrets  to  the  other  members  of  your  committee. 

Faithfully  and  fraternally  yours, 

GEO.  W.  ATKINSON, 
Grand  Sec y  Grand  Lodge  of  IT.  I'a.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M. 


THE    CENTENNIAL.  41 


GRAND    LODGE   OF   WISCONSIN, 

F.    AND   A.    M. 

OFFICE  OF  GRAND  SECRETARY,  ) 
MILWAUKEE,  May  29,  1889.     ) 
J.  K.  WHEELER,  Esq., 

Grand  Secretary  Grand  Lodge  of  Conn. 

R.  W.  BRO.  :  I  am  in  receipt  of  the  beautifully  executed  invitations 
for  the  Grand  Officers  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Wisconsin  to  be  present 
at  the  ceremonial  observances  of  the  Centennial  Anniversary  of  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut,  at  New  Haven,  July  loth,  the  present 
year. 

I  would  tender  thanks  for  this  fraternal  recognition  of  our  Grand 
Lodge,  and  would  ask  an  extension  of  time  in  which  to  accept  or 
decline  the  invitation  until  after  the  meeting  of  our  Grand  Lodge, 
which  occurs  June  nth  to  i3th,  next.  I  will  lay  the  fraternal  invita- 
tion before  the  new  Grand  Officers  and  will  apprise  you  at  once  there- 
after of  their  intentions.  For  myself  I  can  think  of  nothing  which 
would  afford  me  greater  satisfaction  and  pleasure  than  to  visit  for  the 
first  time  since  a  child  the  State  of  my  birth,  under  circumstances  so 
enjoyable  and  upon  an  occasion  so  full  of  historic  and  masonic  interest 
as  that  will  be.  Expressing  the  hope  that  your  anticipations  as  to  your 
reunion  may  be  realized  in  manifold  measure,  I  am, 

Fraternally  yours, 

JOHN  W.  LAFLIN, 

Grand  Secretary. 


BIOGRAPHICAL 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  43 


DAVID  CLARK. 


The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  Chaplin,  Conn.,  in 
the  year  1806,  where  he  was  reared  on  the  farm.  He  was  by 
nature  one  of  much  determination  and  force,  which  enabled 
him  to  overcome  obstacles  as  they  were  presented.  While  on 
the  farm  he  conceived  the  idea  of  sometime  accumulating 
wealth  and  perhaps  attaining  positions  of  honor,  as  others  had 
done  whom  he  saw  around  him  in  every  day  life. 

He  builded  castles  that  were  high  and  broad  and  deep. 
One  day  while  in  the  field  plowing,  wearing  his  homespun 
clothes,  with  a  hat  of  straw  made  by  his  own  hands,  and  bare- 
foot, these  thoughts  were  revolving  in  his  mind.  He  thought 
also  how  he  might  benefit  the  poor  if  he  was  only  rich,  and 
with  such  a  phantasy  resting  upon  him  he  stopped  the  oxen  in 
the  furrow  while  he  repaired  to  the  stone  wall  or  fence,  where 
under  the  shadow  of  the  trees  he  lifted  his  heart  to  the  Lord, 
making  a  covenant  with  Him  that  if  He  prospered  him  in  the 
material  things  of  life  he  would  consecrate  his  gain  to  the  poor 
and  helpless. 

At  an  early  age  he  located  in  the  city  of  Hartford,  enter- 
ing into  a  mercantile  life,  and  after  some  hard  struggles  suc- 
ceeded in  realizing  the  desire  of  his  youth,  even  beyond  his 
most  sanguine  expectations.  His  youthful  vow  made  in  the 
cornfield  was  not  forgotten,  for  his  charities  were  continually 
flowing  out  for  the  benefit  of  humanity,  diffusing  joy  and  glad- 
ness and  dispelling  sorrow  as  water  refreshes  the  parched  and 
thirsty  earth  ;  distributing  during  his  life  over  half  a  million 
of  dollars. 

The  lessons  taught  by  freemasonry  were  practically  grasped 
and  became  interwoven  with  his  character,  and  exerted  an 
influence  upon  him  during  his  life. 


44  THE    CENTENNIAL. 


Brother  Clark  was  made  a  Master  Mason  in  St.  John's 
Lodge,  No.  4,  October  13,  1841 ;  a  Royal  Arch  Mason  in 
Pythagoras  Chapter,  No.  17,  November  10,  1842;  a  Cryptic 
Mason  in  Wolcott  Council,  No.  1,  December  29,  1842;  a 
Knight  Templar  in  Washington  Commandery,  No.  1,  Septem- 
ber 15,  1845;  all  of  Hartford,  and  to  each  of  these  bodies  was 
elected  the  presiding  officer,  having  served  in  the  subordinate 
positions.  He  was  elected  Grand  Master  of  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  Conn.,  May  11,  1853,  and  re-elected  in  1854;  M.  E.  Grand 
High  Priest  of  the  Grand  Chapter  of  Conn.,  May  12,  1857,  and 
re-elected  in  1858;  M.  P.  Grand  Master  of  the  Grand  Council, 
May  13.  1847,  and  Grand  Commander  of  the  Grand  Command- 
ery of  Conn.,  May  15,  1862. 

In  all  these  positions  he  proved  himself  an  excellent  ex- 
ecutive officer,  bringing  the  same  force  and  integrity  of  char- 
acter into  freemasonry  that  characterized  his  daily  life.  He 
had  a  remarkable  memory,  and  would  marshal  the  events  of 
his  life  in  their  regular  order,  giving  the  exact  dates  of  their 
occurrence.  His  memory  also  enabled  him  to  retain  the  ritual 
of  freemasonry  with  absolute  accuracy,  and,  but  a  short  time 
before  his  death,  the  degrees  were  worked  by  him  with  won- 
derful force  and  dignity.  His  life  was  active,  and  the  elements 
of  his  nature  so  combined,  that  the  whole  world  might  look 
upon  him  as  a  man.  He  died  at  his  home,  in  Hartford,  where 
he  had  spent  his  days,  on  October  8th,  1889,  at  the  age  of  83 
years,  respected  by  all  who  knew  him. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  45 


WILLIAM  ELIHU  SANKORD. 


The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  New  Haven,  Conn., 
November  19,  1814.  He  came  of  good  old  New  England 
stock,  dating  back  on  both  his  paternal  and  maternal  side  to 
the  early  settlement  of  the  country. 

For  over  fifty  years  his  home  was  in  his  native  place, 
receiving  his  education  at  the  Hopkin's  Grammar  School  where 
he  fitted  for  college,  but  his  taste  being  for  mercantile  pursuits, 
upon  graduation  from  the  Grammar  School,  he,  in  1838, 
engaged  in  business,  and  after  a  short  apprenticeship,  conducted  . 
successfully  a  wholesale  dry  goods  jobbing  trade  for  many 
years.  Then  after  a  short  but  equally  successful  career  as  a 
manufacturer,  he  retired  from  active  labor,  though  for  a  time 
and  until  he  left  New  Haven  in  1871,  he  held  the  offices  of 
president  and  director  in  various  corporations. 

Much  of  his  time  has  been  spent  in  extensive  foreign  travel 
in  Europe,  Asia  and  Africa,  and  in  visiting  all  parts  of  this 
land. 

During  the  civil  war  he  performed  a  season  of  service  in 
the  Navy,  being  stationed  for  a  time  at  Pensacola,  Florida. 

Since  1871  he  has  made  New  York  his  home,  where  he 
now  resides. 

His  interest  in  freemasonry  seemed  to  run  parallel  with 
his  activity  in  business  pursuits.  He  entered  the  fraternity 
July  20,  1837,  being  under  twenty-three  years  of  age,  in  Hiram 
Lodge,  No.  1,  of  New  Haven.  His  vigor  and  mental  acquire- 
ments soon  brought  him  into  active  service,  and  he  was  ele- 
vated to  positions  of  honor  by  the  craft,  serving  as  Worshipful 
Master  of  Hiram  Lodge,  No.  1,  in  1851. 


46  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


May  7,  1840,  he  was  exalted  to  the  degree  of  Royal  Arch 
Mason,  in  Franklin  Chapter,  No.  2,  of  New  Haven,  and  in  1*4*', 
was  elected  High  Priest ;  received  into  Harmony  Council,  No.  8, 
May  11,  1840,  and  served  as  Thrice  Illustrious  Master  in  1850. 

May  14,  1840,  he  was  Knighted  in  New  Haven  Command- 
ery,  No.  2,  and  served  as  Eminent  Commander  from  1851  to 
1852,  having  served  in  subordinate  stations  in  all  these  bodies. 

In  the  Grand  Bodies  of  Masonry  in  Connecticut  he  has 
been  an  active  and  zealous  worker,  receiving  the  appointment 
of  Grand  Marshal  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  May  12,  1841,  advanc- 
ing by  regular  steps  through  all  the  stations  until  May  14, 
1851,  he  was  elected  Grand  Master,  serving  two  years.  In 
1842  he  received  the  appointment  of  Grand  Marshal  of  the 
Grand  Chapter,  and  the  following  year  was  elected  Grand 
Scribe,  from  which  position  he  advanced  through  the  regular 
stations  until  May  11,  1848,  when  he  was  elected  Grand  High 
Priest,  serving  two  years,  also  serving  as  Grand  Commander  of 
the  Grand  Commandery  in  1855  and  1856.  Since  then  he  has 
served  two  years  as  Grand  Secretary  of  the  Grand  Chapter. 

His  masonic  record  is  a  most  honorable  one  and  conveys 
only  a  faint  idea  of  his  labors  for  the  good  of  the  craft  in  its 
most  trying  period,  soon  after  the  anti-masonic  excitement. 
His  masonry  was  real,  earnest  and  heartfelt,  and  his  labors 
were  always  most  cheerfully  rendered. 


HOWARD  B.  ENSIGN. 


THE    CENTENNIAL.  47 


HOWARD  B.  KNSIQN. 


Brother  Howard  Bichvell  Ensign  was  born  in  New  Haven, 
Conn.,  December  18,  1826,  where  he  received  his  education  and 
resided  until  1808.  His  father,  Thomas  Ensign,  was  born  in 
Hartford,  Conn.,  and  when  a  young  man  located  in  New 
Haven,  where  he  lived  until  his  death,  leaving  five  children,  all 
of  whom  are  now  living. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  married  November  10, 
1851,  to  a  daughter  of  General  Clark  Wooster,  of  Seymour, 
Conn.,  who  was  a  distant  relative  of  General  David  Wooster 
of  revolutionary  fame,  and  who  was  the  first  Worshipful  Master 
of  Hiram  Lodge,  No.  1. 

When  quite  a  young  man  brother  Ensign  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  masonic  bodies  in  New  Haven,  being  raised  in  Hiram 
Lodge,  No.  1,  April  13,  1850;  exalted  in  Franklin  Chapter, 
No.  2,  May  15,  1851 ;  received  into  Harmony  Council,  No.  8, 
May  2,  1851 ;  and  Knighted  in  New  Haven  Commandery,  No. 
2,  April  22,  1852.  He  was  elected,  and  served  as  Worshipful 
Master  of  Hiram  Lodge,  No.  1,  in  1852,  it  being  less  than  two 
years  after  becoming  a  member.  He  also  served  as  High  Priest 
of  Franklin  Chapter,  No.  2,  in  1859,  and  Eminent  Commander 
(then  Grand  Master)  of  New  Haven  Commandery,  No.  2,  from 
1858  to  1860.  In  1853  he  was  elected  Grand  Junior  Deacon 
of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut,  and  was  regularly  advanced 
through  the  subordinate  stations  until  the  annual  communica- 
tion, held  May  9,  1860,  when  he  was  elected  Grand  Master, 
serving  two  years,  he  being,  at  the  time  of  his  election  only  33 
years  of  age. 

His  administration  was  an  eminently  successful  one,  being 
distinguished  by  that  peculiar  pungency  of  character,  which 


48  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


when  mingled  with  strict  integrity  and  a  fearless  discharge  of 
duty,  so  often  wins  our  respect  and  admiration.  He  introduced 
some  recommendations,  which  were  adopted  and  have  continued 
from  that  time  to  the  present,  among  which  we  mention  the 
printed  form  of  petition  which  was  not  in  use  before  his  time. 

At  the  Annual  Convocation  of  the  Grand  Chapter  in  INal, 
he  was  appointed  Grand  Steward,  but  did  not  advance  to  any 
other  office.  In  the  Grand  Council  of  Royal  and  Select 
Masters,  he  served  in  nearly  all  the  subordinate  positions,  and 
May  i),  1860,  he  was  elected  M.  P.  Grand  Master,  which  office 
he  held  for  one  term. 

The  interest  of  brother  Ensign  seems  to  have  been  cen- 
tered in  the  blue  lodge  and  commandery,  recognizing  that  "  to 
pass  the  circle  of  perfection  in  masonry,  one  must  buckle  on 
the  armor  of  Christian  Knighthood." 

In  these  bodies  much  of  his  time  and  energy  have  been 
expended,  serving  with  credit  for  several  years  as  an  officer  in 
the  Grand  Commandery,  and  on  May  9,  1861,  he  was  elected 
its  R.  E.  Grand  Commander,  serving  one  year.  To  him  free- 
masonry has  been  a  real,  vital  energy,  recognizing  the  true 
spirit  of  the  institution  that  lies  hidden  beneath  its  lectures, 
forms  and  ceremonials. 

Since  1868  he  has  made  the  city  of  Baltimore,  Maryland, 
his  home,  where  he  was  called  to  assume  the  Presidency  of 
"The  Maryland  Steamboat  Company,"  which  position  he  now 
fills. 


789  1889 

CENTENNIAL 

ANNIVERSARY 


RAND  LODGE 

OF 

OHNECTICUT 

&  A.M. 


ENERAL 

i  M ITTEE 


THE   CENTENNIAL. 


49 


CENTENNIAL    COMMITTEES 


rand 


A.  T.  and  A.  in. 

CONNECTICUT. 


Centennial   (general   Committee. 


ED.  B.  ROWE,  Past  Grand  Master,  Chairman,  Boston,  Mass. 


FRED.  H.  WALDRON,  Past  Grand  Master,      . 
DWIGHT  PHELPS,  Past  Grand  Master,   . 
DWIGHT  WAUGH,  Past  Grand  Master,   . 
ELI  S.  QUINTARD,  Pa5t  Grand  Master,  . 
ARTHUR  H.  BREWER,  Grand  Senior  Wardei,. 
JOHN  H.  LEEDS,  Past  Grand  Junior  Warden, 
JOHN  G.  ROOT,  Grand  Treasurer,     . 
NATHAN  DIKEMAN,  Past  Grand  Sentinel,      . 
A.  H.  WEST,  Past  District  Deputy,    . 
CHARLES  H.  CHESEHRO,  Past  Master, 
H.  S.  ABEL,  Past  Master,  . 


New  Haven, 

West  Winsted, 

.    Stamford, 

Waterbury, 

.      Norwich, 

New  Haven, 

.     Hartford, 

Waterbury, 

.  Haddam  Neck, 

Putnam, 

Stafford  Springs, 


Conn. 
Conn. 
Conn. 
Conn. 
Conn. 
Conn. 
Conn. 
Conn. 
Conn. 
Conn. 
Conn. 


Deception    Committee. 
FRANK  D.  SLOAT,  Chairman,  Hiram  Lodge,  No. 


William  A.  Wright, 

Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79. 
Henry  B.  Harrison, 

Hiram  Lodge,  No.  i. 
Ed.  F.  Mansfield,  Hiram  Lodge,  No.  i. 
William  J.  Veitch,  Hiram  Lodge,  No.  i. 
John  P.  Tuttle,  Hiram  Lodge,  No.  i. 
Frank  S.  Andrew,  Hiram  Lodge,  No.  i. 
4 


Mayer  Zunder, 

Conn.  Rock  Lodge,  No.  92. 
Charles  G.  Wanner, 

Conn.  Rock  Lodge,  No.  92. 
Ed.  M.  Armstrong, 

Trumbull  Ix>dge,  No.  22. 
H.  M.  Kochersperger, 

Trumbull  Lodge,  No.  22. 


50 


THE   CENTENNIAL. 


J.  B.  Carrington,  Hiram  Lodge,  No.  i. 
Hobart  B.  Bigelow, 

Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79. 
James  I).  Whitmore, 

Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79. 
Robert  E.  Day,  Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79. 
Fred.  B.  Farnsworth, 

Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79. 
George  W.  Bigelow, 

Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79. 
F.  Stanley  Bradley, 

Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79. 
H.  H.  Bunnell,  Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79. 
Paul  Weil,  Conn.  Rock  Lodge,  No.  92. 


Ward  Nichols, 

Trumbull 

William  A.  Waterbury, 
Trumbull 
John  O.  Rowland, 

Adelphi 
A.  B.  Barnes, 

Adelphi 
H.  W.  Crawford, 

Adelphi 
James  Sterling, 

Olive  Branch 
G.  L.  Finney, 

Olive  Branch 


Lodge,  No.  22. 
Lodge,  No.  22. 
Lodge,  No.  63. 
Lodge,  No.  63. 
Lodge,  No.  63. 
Lodge,  No.  84. 
Lodge,  No.  84. 


Committee  on  Opera    {"louse. 
H.  C.  WARREN,  Chairman,  Hiram  Lodge,  No.  i. 

N.  H.  Sanford,      Hiram  Lodge,  No.  i.  H.  Leimbacher, 

C.  B.  Matthewman,  Conn.  Rock  Lodge,  No.  92. 

Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79.  David  H.  Clark, 

George  N.  Moses,  Trumbull  Lodge,  No.  22. 

Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79.  A.  H.  Cargill, 

A.  E.  Winchell,  Adelphi  Lodge,  No.  63. 

Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79.  William  E.  Ford, 

O.  A.  Baehr,  Conn.  Rock  Lodge  No.  92.  Olive  Branch  Lodge  No.  84. 


Committee   on    Carriages. 
L.  D.  CHIDSEY,  Chairman,  Hiram  Lodge,  No.  I. 

Theodore  A.  Tuttle,  William  Schollhorn, 

Hiram  Lodge,  No.  i.  Conn.  Rock  Lodge,  No.  92. 

Kd.  F.  Merrill,  W.  F.  Stahl, 

Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79.  Conn.  Rock  Lodge,  No.  92. 

John  B.  Adriance,  John  H.  Post,  Trumbull  Lodge,  No.  22. 

\\  ooster  Lodge,  No.  79.  Francis  Ray,       Adelphi  Lodge,  No.  63. 

William  J.  Atwater,  E.  L.  Hitchcock, 

Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79.  Olive  Branch  Lodge,  No.  84. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  51 


Committee  on    J^otels. 
A.  C.  HENDRICK,  Chairman,  Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79. 

Frank  C.  Bushnell,  E.  D.  Brinsmade, 

Hiram  Lodge,  No.  I.  Trumbull  Lodge,  No.  22. 

Charles  F.  Root,  Seth  W.  Langley, 

Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79.  Adelphi  Lodge,  No.  63. 

L.  Weckesser,  Walter  Leigh. 

Conn.  Rock  Lodge,  No.  92.  Olive  Branch  Lodge,  No.  84. 


Committee  on   Armory. 

ED.  A.  CHATFIELD,  Chairman,  Hiram  Lodge,  No.  I. 

George  R.  Burton,  H.  C.  Trecartin, 

Hiram  Lodge,  No.  I.  Trumbull  Lodge,  No.  22. 

W.  H.  Spock,  Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79.  Charles  E.  Rounds, 

H.  E.  Talmage,  Trumbull  Lodge,  No.  22. 

Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79.  J.  B.  Cunningham, 

W.  H.  Cox,       Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79.  Adelphi  Lodge,  No.  63. 

Charles  W.  Schenck,  J.  Wilkinson,  Jr., 

Conn.  Rock  Lodge,  No.  92.  Olive  Branch  Lodge,  No.  84. 


Njarshal   and    Aids. 


STEPHEN  R.  SMITH,  Chief  Marshal,  FRED.  H.  WALDRON,  Chief  of  Staff, 

Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79.  Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79. 


Aids. 

George  M.  White,  Hiram  Lodge,  No.  I.  Andrew  Ailing, 

Benj.  E.  Brown,    Hiram  Lodge,  No.  I.  Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79. 

E.  D.  Hendee,       Hiram  Lodge,  No.  I.  Charles  J.  Buckbee, 

N.  G.  Osborn,        Hiram  Lodge,  No.  I.  Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79. 

H.  H.  Strong,  Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79.  William  Vogel, 

Charles  E.  Hart,  Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79. 

Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79.  John  B.  Richards, 

Charles  B.  Dyer,  Conn.  Rock  Lodge,  No.  92. 

Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79.  D.  S.  Thomas, 

Harvey  S.  Munson,  .•     Trumbull  Lodge,  No.  22. 

Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79.  Charles  E.  Bray, 

James  E.  Stetson,  Adelphi  Lodge,  No.  63. 

Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79.  Charles  T.  Ward, 

A.  j.  Kennedy,  Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79.  Olive  Branch  Lodge,  No.  84. 


52  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


ORDERS 

ISSUED   BY  THE 

•COMMITTEE  OF  ARRANGEMENTS.- 


HEADQUARTERS— GENERAL  COMMITTEE, 

CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION  OF  THE  M.   W.    GRAND  LODGE 

OF   CONNECTICUT, 

ANCIENT  FREE  AND  ACCEPTED  MASONS. 

NEW  HAVEN,  CONN,  June  20,  1889. 
CHAS.  F.  ROOT,  Esq., 

Chairman  of  Committee  on  Hotels. 

DEAR  SIR:  The  General  Committee  suggest,  that  owing 
to  the  somewhat  limited  hotel  accommodations,  you  at  once 
ascertain  where  you  may  be  able  to  quarter  guests  of  the  Grand 
"Lodge  on  the  occasion  of  our  Centennial,  so  that  in  the  event 
of  applications  you  may  be  able  to  direct. 

It  is  understood,  of  course,  that  all  guests  are  entertained 
by  the  Grand  Lodge  only  so  far  as  the  courtesies  of  the  occa- 
sion, such  as  carriages,  reserved  seats  in  the  opera  house  and 
banquet  in  the  evening  are  concerned. 

On  Tuesday  evening  the  Grand  Master  proposes  to  hold  a 
reception  at  the  Tontine  hotel,  in  the  rooms  already  secured. 
On  this  occasion  it  will  be  necessary  to  have  a  light  collation. 
On  Wednesday  the  Grand  Lodge  will  entertain  guests  in  the 
same  place  at  a  collation.  Arrangements  for  these  entertain- 
ments will  fall  upon  your  committee,  and  the  General  Commit- 
tee request  that  you  will  confer  with  them  before  proceeding  to 
make  such  arrangements. 

You  will  collect  all  bills  for  hotel  expenses  and  present 
same  to  General  Committee  as  early  as  possible. 
Yours  truly, 

EDW.  B.  ROWE, 
Chairman  Committee  of  Arrangements. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  53 


HEADQUARTERS— GENERAL  COMMITTEE, 

CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION  OF  THE  M.   W.   GRAND  LODGE 

OF    CONNECTICUT, 

ANCIENT  FREE  AND  ACCEPTED  MASONS. 

NEW  HAVEN,  CONN.,  June  20,  1889. 

L.  D.  CHIDSEY,  Esq., 

Chairman  of  Committee  on  Carriages. 

DEAR  SIR:  The  Committee  of  Arrangements  request  that 
you  will  arrange  with  some  one  firm  to  provide  for  the  use  of 
the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut,  on  July  10,  1889,  about 
twenty-five  (25)  open  carriages.  The  time  of  service  will  be 
from  11  a.  m.  to  2  p.  m. 

It  is  understood,  of  course,  that  in  making  your  contract, 
equal  service  at  lowest  prices  has  preference. 

Occupants  of  carriages  will  consist  of  the  Grand  Lodge 
Officers  and  their  guests,  Committee  of  Arrangements,  Recep- 
tion Committee  and  Committee  on  Carriages.  You  will  see 
that  carriage  occupants,  in  the  order  given  by  the  Reception 
Committee,  are  seated  and  ready  to  take  their  proper  position 
in  the  procession  at  11:30  a.  m.,  sharp.  Carriages  will  be 
ordered  to  the  Tontine  hotel  at  11  a.  m.,  sharp.  Upon  return 
to  the  Tontine  after  the  procession,  you  will  dismiss  the 
carriages. 

Present  bill  for  carriage  service  to  the  Committee  of 
Arrangements,  Wednesday  p.  m.,  for  approval. 

Yours  truly, 

EDW.  B.  ROWE, 
Chairman  Committee  of  Arrangements. 


54  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


HEADQUARTERS— GENERAL   COMMITTEE, 

CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION  OF  THE  M.    W.   GRAND  LODGE 

OF   CONNECTICUT, 

ANCIENT  FREE  AND  ACCEPTED  MASONS. 

NEW  HAVEN,  CONN.,  June  20,  1889. 

FRANK  D.  SLOAT,  Esq , 

Chairman  of  Committee  on  Reception. 

DEAR  SIR  AND  BROTHER  :  The  Committee  of  Arrange- 
ments desire  to  inform  you  that  they  have  secured  the  parlors 
at  the  Tontine  hotel  for  the  exclusive  use  of  the  Reception 
Committee  and  guests  for  Tuesday  evening,  July  9th,  and 
Wednesday,  July  10th,  for  the  day. 

It  is  understood  that  Grand  Master  Swartwout  will  hold  a 
reception  in  these  rooms  Tuesday  evening,  July  9th,  on  which 
occasion  your  committee  should  be  present.  Wednesday 
morning,  the  10th,  we  suggest  that  you  assemble  your  commit- 
tee not  later  than  9  a.  m.,  and  assume  the  entertainment  of  the 
guests  of  the  Grand  Lodge.  You  will  greatly  aid  the  General 
Committee  by  an  effort  to  make  the  guests  of  the  occasion  feel 
a  cordial  welcome,  particularly  so  far  as  the  reception  rooms 
and  the  banquet  at  the  Hyperion  theater  are  concerned. 

You  will  make  the  assignment  for  carriage  seats  for  the 
Grand  Officers,  their  guests,  the  Reception  Committee  and 
Committee  on  Carriages.  In  making  this  arrangement  you 
will  bear  in  mind  that  the  extreme  left  of  the  procession  is  the 
post  of  honor,  so  that  Grand  Officers,  according  to  their  rank, 
will  occupy  the  left  of  the  line. 

Reserve  in  each  carriage  one  seat  for  some  one  member 
of  your  committee. 

You  will  arrange  seats  for  carriages  as  soon  as  advisedly 
informed  of  the  number  required,  and  pass  the  list  over  to  the 
Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Carriages,  L.  D.  Chidsey,  so 
that  the  same  may  be  called  when  ready  to  take  carriages. 

The  Committee  on  Carriages  are  instructed  to  have  all 
seated  in  the  carriages  at  11  : 30  a.  m.  SHARP. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  55 


At  the  banquet  in  the  evening  the  same  relative  position 
of  guests  and  Reception  Committee  will  be  preserved  so  far  as 
possible  at  the  tables. 

Any  expense  incurred  on  the  part  of  your  committee  you 
will  report  as  early  as  possible  to  the  Committee  of  Arrange- 
ments. 

It  will  be  necessary  for  your  committee  to  provide  at  least 
50  clean  white  aprons  for  the  use  of  such  guests  as  are  not 
provided  with  their  own  clothing. 

Yours  fraternally, 

EDW.  B.  ROWE, 
Chairman  Committee  of  Arrangements. 


HEADQUARTERS— GENERAL    COMMITTEE, 

CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION  OF  THE  M.   W.   GRAND  LODGE 

•OF   CONNECTICUT, 

ANCIENT  FREE  AND  ACCEPTED  MASONS. 

NEW  HAVEN,  CONN.,  June  20,  1889. 

H.  C.  WARREN,  Esq., 

Chairman  of  Committee  on  Opera  House. 

DEAR  SIR  :  The  Committee  of  Arrangements  request  that 
you  will  so  organize  your  committee  as  to  assume  the  entire 
management  of  the  Hyperion  theater  on  the  occasion  of  the 
Centennial  Celebration  of  the  M.  W.  Grand  Lodge  of  Connec- 
ticut, July  10,  1889.  Manager  Bunnell  will  place  the  usual 
force  of  ushers  at  your  disposal  for  the  occasion.  You  will  at 
the  proper  time  confer  with  whoever  may  be  in  charge  of  the 
theater  and  see'  that  the  general  plan  as  laid  out  by  the  Com- 
mittee of  Arrangements  is  carried  out.  This  plan  contemplates 
putting  the  stage  in  proper  form  for  the  banquet  in  the  even- 
ing ;  the  removal  of  the  footlights  from  the  stage  and  the  space 
they  occupy  covered  over;  the  rail  enclosing  the  usual  orches- 
tra space  removed  and  steps  arranged  so  as  to  be  able  in  pas- 


56  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


sing  down  the  main  aisle  to  ascend  directly  to  the  stage  of  the 
theater.  (These  changes  being  made  by  the  employees  of  the 
theater.) 

You  will  see  that  the  stage  of  the  theater,  i.  e.,  as  much  as 
is  allotted  for  the  afternoon  exercises  is  arranged  to  seat  the 
officers  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  their  guests,  thekspeakers  and  the 
Mendelssohn  Double  Quartette  Club,  probably  about  fifty  in 
all.  (An  approach  to  the  exact  number  may  be  had  of  the 
General  Committee  later.)  Reserve  room  enough  for  the 
speakers'  desk. 

You  will  detail  some  member  of  your  committee  to  see 
that  on  the  day  previous  to  the  celebration  the  piano  now  in  use 
in  the  theater  is  put  in  perfect  order  and  tuned. 

You  will  please  assemble  your  entire  committee  at  the 
theater  not  later  than  1 :  30  p.  m.  on  the  afternoon  of  the  10th, 
and  see  that  the  theater  is  closed  to  all  persons  excepting  only 
such  as  have  a  right  to  remain.  To  do  this  successfully  it  will 
be  necessary  to  guard  carefully  the  several  entrances,  permit- 
ting only  masons  to  pass. 

When  the  procession  reaches  the  theater  the  lines  will 
open  right  and  left  and  the  band  leading,  will  march  through 
into  the  theater.  Immediately  upon  their  entrance  you  will 
see  that  some  member  of  your  committee  is  detailed  to  conduct 
the  band  to  the  center  of  the  second  balcony  of  the  theater, 
and  that  the  Grand  Lodge  Officers  and  their  guests  are  con- 
ducted to  the  stage  and  seated.  You  will  see  that  the  orches- 
tra seats  proper  are  held  in  reserve  that  they  may  be  occupied 
by  the  Knights  Templars.  The  Knights  Templars  will  follow 
the  Grand  Lodge  Officers  and  guests.  The  Knights  Templars 
seated,  the  remaining  seating  capacity  of  the  theater  will  be 
open  to  be  occupied  by  the  brethren  as  they  enter.  In  all 
cases  it  is  to  be  understood  that  preference  shall  be  given  to 
those  who  are  in  the  line  of  the  procession  and  are  properly 
clothed.  As  the  procession  on  entering  the  theater  is  reversed, 
New  Haven  city  lodges  will  enter  last,  so  that  presumably  all 
visiting  brethren  may  be  comfortably  accommodated.  The  pro- 
cession once  inside  the  theater  you  will  guard  all  entrances,  and 
see  that  none  pass  or  repass,  except  such  as  are  duly  qualified. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  57 


At  the  evening  exercises  the  theater  will  be  under  the 
•direction  of  Manager  Bunnell  and  his  employees.  The  com- 
mittee, however,  request  that  you  acquaint  yourself  with  the 
order  in  which  the  Grand  Officers  and  their  guests  are  to  be 
seated,  and  arrange  to  carry  out  this  order,  that  all  may  be  in 
their  proper  places  at  the  banquet.  This  order  of  seating  will 
be  arranged  by  the  General  Committee  and  placed  at  your 
disposal  at  the  earliest  possible  moment. 

Yours  truly  and  fraternally, 

EDW.  B.  ROWE, 
Chairman  Committee  of  Arrangements. 


HEADQUARTERS— GENERAL  COMMITTEE, 

CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION  OF  THE  M.    W.    GRAND  LODGE 

OF   CONNECTICUT, 

ANCIENT  FREE  AND  ACCEPTED  MASONS. 

NEW  HAVEN,  CONN.,  June  20,  1889. 

EDW.  A.  CHATFIELD,  Esq., 

Chairman  of  Committee  on  Armory. 

DEAR  SIR  :  The  proper  authority  has  placed  at  the  dis- 
posal of  the  Committee  of  Arrangements  the  Second  Regiment 
Armory  Building  for  July  10,  1889.  It  is  assumed  that  the 
State  authorities  will  have  some  one  in  charge  of  the  building. 

The  collation  for  those  in  the  Grand  Lodge  procession  will 
occur  in  the  armory  at  about  1 :  00  p.  m.  to  1 :  30  p.  m.  It  will 
be  necessary  to  assemble  your  committee  not  later  than  12:  30 
p.  m.  See  that  the  building  is  cleared,  permitting  only  such 
to  remain  as  are  duly  qualified. 

You  will  so  organize  your  committee  that  when  the  pro-' 
cession  enters  the  armory  you  may  obtain  the  correct  number 
entering.  After  the  procession  enters  the  building  you  will 
provide  that  the  entrances  are  securely  tiled  until  the  proces- 
sion is  ready  to  reform. 

Yours  fraternally, 

EDW.  B.  ROWE, 

Cliairman  Committee  of  Arrangements. 


:>S  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


HEADQUARTERS— GENERAL   COMMITTEE, 

CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION  OF  THE  M.    W.   GRAND  LODGE 

OF  CONNECTICUT, 

ANCIENT  FREE  AND  ACCEPTKD  MASONS. 

NEW  HAVEN,  CONN.,  June  20,  1889. 

J.  O.  CASEY,  Esq., 

Conductor  of  Coif  s  Armory  Band,  Hartford,  Conn. 

DEAR  SIR :  The  Committee  of  Arrangements,  in  order  to 
prevent  confusion  on  the  occasion  of  your  engagement  with 
the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut,  July  10,  1889,  define  the 
services  expected  of  your  band,  as  follows: 

Upon  arrival  in  New  Haven  you  will  at  once  report  to  the 
committee,  room  No.  4(i,  Tontine  hotel,  not  later  than  11  a.  m. 
The  Chief  Marshal  will  direct  your  position  in  the  procession. 

The  procession  will  move  at  precisely  12  o'clock.  When 
the  procession  is  approaching  the  Second  Regiment  Armory,* 
the  left  of  the  line,  which  will  be  composed  of  the  Grand 
Lodge  Officers  and  their  guests  (in  carriages),  will  be  turned 
aside  at  the  corner  of  Church  and  Chapel  streets,  headed  by 
your  band,  and  under  direction  of  Assistant  Marshal  will  pro- 
ceed to  the  Tontine  hotel  to  lunch.  You  will  time  your  music 
so  that  when  you  leave  the  line  you  will  be  prepared  to  strike 
up  a  lively  step. 

After  the  collation,  the  Grand  Lodge  Officers  and*  their 
guests  will  form  on  foot  and  join  the  main  procession  when 
they  come  from  the  armory  on  the  march  to  the  theater. 
When  the  right  of  the  line  shall  reach  the  theater,  the  lines  will 
•open  right  and  left,  and  the  procession  reversed  will  march 
through  the  open  lines,  your  band,  of  course,  at  the  head.  You 
will  time  your  music  so  that  when  you  start  to  pass  between 
the  lines  you  will  be  ready  to  play.  Immediately  upon  reach- 
ing the  theater  you  will  cease  playing,  march  directly  into  the 
theater  and  proceed  to  the  center  of  the  second  balcony  of  the 
theater.  When  the  brethren  are  assembled,  upon  signal  from 
the  stage,  you  will  sound  a  chord,  giving  the  key  of  the  old  tune 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  59 


of  America  and  at  once  commence  to  play  the  tune,  accom- 
panying the  audience  singing  the  Anniversary  Ode.  This 
finished,  your  band  may,  if  they  choose,  retire  to  the  room 
assigned  them,  which  will  be  pointed  out  by  some  member  of 
the  Committee  on  Opera  House. 

At  5  p.  m.,  sharp,  supper  will  be  served  your  band  at  the 
Tontine  hotel. 

From  6 :  30  p.  m.  until  7  :  30  p.  m.,  the  committee  desire 
that  you  take  position  on  the  Green  in  front  of  the  Tontine  and 
perform  such  selections  as  you  may  direct. 

At  8  p.  m.,  sharp,  you  will  have  your  band  in  position 
(center  of  the  second  balcony  of  the  theater)  and  proceed  to 
render  the  programme  as  arranged  for  the  evening  concert,  at 
the  conclusion  of  which  you  may  consider  your  duties  ended. 

In  timing  your  evening  concert,  make  the  intervals  so  as 
to  complete  your  programme  about  9 : 45  p.  m. 

You  will  render  bill,  including  railroad  fares,  to  the  com- 
mittee room  at  (>  p.  m.,  Wednesday,  July  10th. 

Yours  very  truly, 

EDW.  B.  ROWE, 

Chairman  Committee  of  Arrangements. 


60  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


*-^R EC EPTI O  N<£ 

-hBY    THE+- 

AW  Worshipful  Grand 

-HAT    THE-t- 

TONTINE   HOTEL. 


Haver\,  Tuesday  Ever\ir\g,  July  9,  1559. ^ 

On  Tuesday  evening  preceding  the  ceremonies  attending 
the  Centennial  exercises  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  a  formal  recep- 
tion was  given  to  those  who  were  present  as  guests.  The  head- 
quarters of  the  Grand  Lodge,  at  the  Tontine  hotel,  were  pro- 
fusely decorated  with  plants  and  flowers,  and  arrangements 
had  been  made  for  a  hearty  and  joyous  greeting. 

At  eight  o'clock  the  Grand  Master,  with  his  suit  of  officers, 
were  escorted  to  the  parlors,  and  each  guest  was  introduced 
and  most  cordially  welcomed.  Then  followed  a  light  colla- 
tion, when  the  evening  was  devoted  to  social  intercourse  and  in- 
terchange of  masonic  courtesies,  thereby  making  the  acquaint- 
ance of  many  whom  before  had  been  as  strangers  to  each 
other,  though  known  and  appreciated  in  masonic  circles.  The 
evening  was  spent  very  pleasantly,  and  recollections  of  this, 
one  of  the  most  pleasing  events  of  the  celebration,  will  linger 
long  in  the  memory  of  those  who  were  present. 

Among  the  number  were  the  following  brethren,  and  to 
their  names  we  append  their  place  of  residence,  official  masonic 
rank,  and  lodge  or  Grand  lodge  to  which  they  belonged  : 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  (il 


J.   H.  SWARTWOUT,  Stamford,   Conn.      Union   Lodge,   No.   5  ;    Grand 

Master,  Conn. 
CLARK  BUCKINGHAM,  New  Haven,  Conn.     Trumbull  Lodge,  No.  22  ; 

Deputy  Grand  Master,  Conn. 
ARTHUR   H.   BREWER,    Norwich,   Conn.      Somerset   Lodge,    No.   34 ; 

Grand  Senior  Warden,  Conn. 
JOHN    G.  ROOT,  Hartford,  Conn.     Hartford   Lodge,  No.  88;  Grand 

Treasurer,  Conn. 
JOSEPH    K.  WHEELER,   Hartford,   Conn.      St.  John's   Lodge,    No.   4 ; 

Grand  Secretary,  Conn. 
WILLIAM  W.  PRICE,  New  Haven,  Conn.     Day  Spring  Lodge,  No.  30 ; 

Grand  Senior  Deacon,  Conn. 
SAMUEL   BASSETT,  New   Britain,  Conn.     Centennial   Lodge,  No.  118; 

Grand  Senior  Steward,  Conn. 
JAMES  H.  WELSH,  Danbury,  Conn.     Union  Lodge,  No.  4 ;    District 

Deputy,  Conn. 
HENRY  O.  WARNER,  New  Milford,  Conn.     St.  Peter's  Lodge,  No.  21  ; 

District  Deputy,  Conn. 
JAMES  E.  COER,  Waterbury,  Conn.     Harmony  Lodge,  No.  42  ;  Grand 

Marshal,  Conn. 
L.  O.  DAVIS,  Middletown,  Conn.     St.  John's  Lodge,  No.  2  ;  District 

Deputy,  Conn. 
JOHN  HODGE,  Lockport,  N.  Y.     Grand  Junior  Warden ;  Grand  Lodge 

of  New  York. 
FRED.   H.  WALDRON,  New  Haven,  Conn.      Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79 ; 

Past  Grand  Master,  Conn. 
JOHN   W.    Mix,   Yalesville,   Conn.       Temple    Lodge,    No.    16 ;    Past 

Grand  Master,  Conn. 
ED.    B.    ROWE,    Boston,    Mass.      Brainard    Lodge,    No.    102,  Conn. ; 

Past  Grand  Master,  Conn. 
ROBERT  C.  NICHOLS,  Boston,  Mass. 
E.  BENTLY  YOUNG,  Boston,  Mass.      Columbian  Lodge,  Boston ;  Past 

Master. 
WILLIAM  CAMERON,  Boston,  Mass.      Columbian  Lodge,  Boston ;  Past 

Master. 
WM.  T.  R.  MARVIN,  Boston,  Mass.     Columbian  Lodge,  Boston ;  Past 

Grand   Senior  Warden,  Mass. 
HENRY  G.  LEWIS,  New  Haven,  Conn.     Hiram  Lodge,  No.  i  ;  Marshal. 


THE   CENTENNIAL. 


F.    HERBERT   WINSOR,  Boston,  Mass.      Winslow  Lewis   Lodge;    Past 

Master. 

HENRY  A.  DILLON,  New  Haven,  Conn.      Lodge,  No.  269,  Ire- 
land ;  Past  Master. 
GEORGE  H.  KENYON,  Providence,  R.  I.     Grand  Master,  Grand  Lodge 

of  Rhode  Island. 
CLIFFORD  P.  MACCALLA,  Philadelphia,  Penn.      Grand  Master,  Grand 

Lodge  of  Pennsylvania. 
THOMAS  J.  SHRYOCK,    Baltimore,  Md.     Grand    Master,  Grand    Lodge 

of  Maryland. 
WILLIAM    HENRY   SHRYOCK,  Baltimore,  Md.     Grand  Treasurer,  Grand 

Lodge  of  Maryland. 
E.  S.  QUINTARD,  Waterbury,  Conn.     Trumbull    Lodge,  No.  22  ;  Past 

Grand  Master,  Conn. 
CHRISTOPHER  DIEH.L,  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah.     Grand  Secretary,  Grand 

Lodge  of  Utah. 
ALBERT  A.  FOLSOM,  Boston,  Mass.     Columbian   Lodge,  Boston ;  Past 

Master. 
JOHN  W.  VROOMAN,  Herkimer,  N.  Y.      Grand  Master,  Grand  Lodge 

of  New  York. 
WILLIAM  WALLACE  LEE,  Meriden,  Conn.      Meriden   Lodge,  No.  77; 

Past  Grand  Master,  Conn. 
FRANK    ALFORD,    Boston,    Mass.       Columbian   Lodge,    Boston ;    Past 

Master. 
DWIGHT  PHELPS,  West  Winsted,  Conn.     St.  Andrew's  Lodge,  No.  64 ; 

Past  Grand  Master,  Conn. 
DAVID  S.  MILLER,  Bristol,  Conn.     Past  Grand  Senior  Warden,  Grand 

Lodge  of  Conn. 
JOHN  W.  RICHARDSON,  Stamford,  Conn.      Harmony  Lodge,  No.  42; 

Grand  Orator. 
CHAUNCEY  M.  HATCH,  Boston,  Mass.     St.  John's  Lodge,  No.  3  ;  Past 

Grand  Lecturer,  Conn. 
JOHN  G.  KEIGWIN,  Willimantic,  Conn.     Eastern  Star  Lodge,  No.  44; 

Past  Grand  Senior  Deacon,  Conn. 
JOHN  H.  BARLOW,  Birmingham,  Conn.     King  Hiram  Lodge,  No.  12; 

Past  Grand  Master,  Conn. 
NATHAN   DIKEMAN,  Waterbury,  Conn.      Continental    Lodge,   No.    76; 

Past  Grand  Sentinel,  Conn. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  (53 

KUWARD    T.    MAINE,    Hartford,    Conn.      Hartford    Lodge,    No.    88; 

Grand  Tyler,  Conn. 
NOAH   S.    POND,   Bridgeport,   Conn.     St.  Andrew's   Lodge,   No.   64 ; 

Past  Master. 
A.    C.    GOLDING,    Norwalk,  Conn.      St.  John's    Lodge,   No.  6 ;   Past 

Deputy  Grand  Master,  Conn. 
BEVERLY  E.  WARNER,  Bridgeport,  Conn.     Corinthian  Lodge,  No.  104 ; 

Grand  Chaplain,  Conn. 
GABRIEL  STEWART,  Seymour,  Conn.      Morning  Star  Lodge,  No.  47  ; 

District  Deputy,  Conn. 
C.    E.   PRINCE,   New  Haven,  Conn.      Olive  Branch   Lodge,  No.  84  ; 

Grand  Junior  Steward,  Conn. 
CHARLES  H.  MANN,  Haddonfield,  N.  J.     Grand  Master,  Grand  Lodge 

of  New  Jersey. 
CHARLES  N.  DANIELS,  Willimantic,  Conn.      Eastern  Star  Lodge,  No. 

44  ;  District  Deputy,  Conn. 
JAMES   McCoRMiCK,   Windsor,   Conn.      Washington    Lodge,   No.    70 : 

Past  Grand  Master,  Conn. 
A.  H.  WEST,  Haddam  Neck,  Conn.     Granite  Lodge,  No.   119;  Past 

District  Deputy,  Conn. 
ROBERT   M.    MOORE,    Elizabeth,    N.  J.      Past   Grand   Master,   Grand 

Lodge  of  New  Jersey. 
HENRY    ENDICOTT,   Cambridge,  Mass.     Grand   Master,  Grand   Lodge 

of  Mass. 
SERENO   D.  NICKERSON,   Boston,  Mass.     Recording   Grand   Secretary, 

Grand  Lodge  of  Mass. 


64  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


CENTENNIAL   PARADE/ 


On  the  morning  of  the  10th  of  July,  the  trains  entering 
into  New  Haven  from  all  sections  of  the  State,  were  loaded 
with  masons  and  Knights  Templars,  to  join  in  a  day  of  happy 
greeting.  The  column  was  formed  on  New  Haven  Green,  and 
just  as  the  clock  struck  the  hour  of  "high  twelve,"  was  in  per- 
fect readiness  to  begin  the  line  of  march  through  the  principal 
thoroughfares  of  the  "City  of  Elms,"  and  at  the  order  given  by 
the  Grand  Marshal,  the  column  was  moving  out  of  the  north  gate 
of  the  green.  The  Grand  Officers  and  visiting  brethren  in  car- 
riages, brought  up  the  rear  of  the  column.  The  day  was  most 
propitious  for  the  occasion,  neither  too  hot,  nor  were  the  rays 
of  the  sun  oppressive,  as  the  sky  was  veiled  with  thin  clouds, 
giving  it  a  leaden  hue. 

After  leaving  the  New  Haven  Green,  the  following  route 
was  covered :  From  the  Green  to  Elm  street,  Elm  to  Church, 
Church  to  Chapel,  Chapel  to  Olive,  Olive  to  St.  John,  St.  John 
to  Elm,  Elm  to  Howe,  Howe  to  Chapel,  Chapel  to  Church, 
Church  to  Meadow,  to  Second  Regiment  Armory,  where  a  col- 
lation had  been  prepared  to  accommodate  4,000  or  more ;  and 
fully  that  number  were  in  the  line. 

Returning,  the  column  moved  in  the  same  order,  up 
Meadow  to  Church,  Church  to  Chapel,  to  the  Hyperion 
Theater,  where  the  exercises  took  place.  The  following  was 
the  plan  of  formation: 

COLUMN. 

Platoon  of  Police. 
Chief  Marshal,  Stephen  R.  Smith. 
Chief  of  Staff,  Fred.  H.  Waldron. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  65 

AIDS. 
George  M.  White,  Benjamin  E.  Brown,  E.  D.  Hendee,  N.  G.  Osborn, 

H.  H.  Strong,  Charles  E.  Hart,  C.  B.  Dyer, 
Harvey  S.  Munson,  James  E.  Stetson,  A.  J.  Kennedy,  Andrew  Ailing, 

Charles  J.  Buckbee,  William  Vogel,  J.  B.  Richards, 
David  S.  Thomas,    Charles  E.  Bray,    Charles  T.  Ward. 

ESCORT. 

The  Grand  Commandery  of  Knights  Templars  and  Appendant 
Orders  of  the  State  of  Connecticut,  represented  by  the  following 
Officers : 

R.  E.  Sir  Fred.  A.  Spencer,  Grand  Commander. 
V.  E.  Sir  Ira  L.  Gardiner,  Deputy  Grand  Commander. 
E.  Sir  Charles  W.  Skiff,  Acting  Grand  Generalissimo. 
E.  Sir  Christian  Swartz,  Grand  Captain  General. 
E.  Sir  James  B.  Wildman,  Grand  Prelate. 
E.  Sir  G.  Herrick  Wilson,  Grand  Senior  Warden. 
E.  Sir  William  R.  Higby.  Grand  Treasurer. 

WEED'S  BAND,  OF  HARTFORD. 
Washington  Commandery,  No.  i  ;  Isaiah  Baker,  Eminent  Commander. 

SECOND    REGIMENT    BAND,    OF   NEW    HAVEN. 

New    Haven    Commandery,    No.    2 ;    Lyman    H.   Johnson,    Eminent 
Commander. 

ELIAS    HOWE,    JR.    BAND,    OF    BRIDGEPORT. 

Hamilton  Commandery,  No.  5  ;  A.  D.  Dutton,  Eminent  Commander. 

SILVER   DRUM    CORPS,    OF   WATERBURY. 

Clark  Commandery,  No.  7  ;  E.  L.  Chapman,  Eminent  Commander. 

BRANDEGEE'S  BAND. 
Cyrene  Commandery,  No.  8;  H.  H.  Abbe,  Eminent  Commander. 

MERIDEN    MILITARY    BAND. 

St.  Elmo  Commandery,  No.  9  ;  H.  Wales  Lines,  Eminent  Commander. 

DANBURY  BAND. 

Crusader  Commandery,  No.  10  ;  Christian  Quien,  Eminent  Commander. 


66  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


The  lodges  were  arranged  in  order  according  to  numbers,  as  fol- 
lows, thpugh  all  were  not  represented  : 

LODGES. 

CAPPA'S   SEVENTH    REGIMENT    BAND,    NEW    YORK. 

Hiram  Lodge,  of  New  Haven;  H.  E.  Benton,  W.  M. 

BUNNELL   DRUM    CORPS,    FAIR    HAVEN. 

Adelphi  Lodge,  No.  63,  New  Haven;  J.  J.  Dayton,  W.  M. 

OVERMAN    BAND,    CHICOPEE    FALLS,    MASS. 

Wooster  Lodge,  New  Haven ;  A.  J.  Harmount,  W.  M. 

Olive  Branch  Lodge,  No.  84,  New  Haven ;  James  Mercer,  W.  M. 

Connecticut  Rock  Lodge,  No.  92,  New  Haven  ;  Charles  Fischer.  W.  M. 

Trumbull  Lodge,  No.  22,  New  Haven ;  Clarence  Newcomb,  W.  M. 

St.  John's  Lodge,  No.  2,  Middletown  ,  J.  W.  Bailey,  W.  M. 

St.  John's  Lodge,  No.  3,  Bridgeport;  Mark  R.  Leavenworth,  W.  M. 

St.  John's  Lodge,  No.  4,  Hartford ;  George  H.  Hebard,  W.  M. 

BAND,  25  PIECES. 

Union  Lodge,  No.  5,  Stamford;  Edwy  F.  Morris,  W.  M. 

St.  John's  Lodge,  No.  6,  Norwalk ;  Charles  W.  Many,  W.  M. 

King  Solomon's  Lodge,  No.  7,  Woodbury;  Charles  W.  Hicock,  W.  M. 

St.  John's  Lodge,  No.  8,  Stratford  ;  Joseph  L.  Curtiss,  W.  M. 

BAND,    22    PIECES. 

Compass  Lodge,  No.  9,  Wallingford  ;  J.  Wilson  Smith.  W.  M. 

Wooster  Lodge,  No.  10,  Colchester ;  P.  R.  Strong,  W.  M. 

St.  Paul's  Lodge,  No.  n,  Litchfield;  William  T.  Marsh,  W.  M. 

King  Hiram  Lodge,  No.  12,  Birmingham ;  J.  Frank  Terew,  W.  M. 

Montgomery  Lodge,  No.  13,  Lakeville ;  James  S.  Haley,  W.  M. 

DRUM    BAND. 

Frederick  Lodge,  No.  14,  Plainville ;  A.  H.  Condeli,  W.  M. 
Moriah  Lodge,  No.  15,  Danielsonville ;  Milton  A.  Shumway,  W.  M. 

Temple  Lodge,  No.  16,  Cheshire ;  Henry  E.  Terrell,  W.  M. 
Federal  Lodge,  No.  17,  Watertown ;  James  R.  Hotchkiss,  W.  M. 

Hiram  Lodge,  No.  18,  Sandy  Hook;  John  L.  Sanford,  W.  M. 
Washington  Lodge,  No.  19,  Monroe;  Seymour  B.  Beardsley,  W.  M. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  67 


BAND,    23    PIECES. 

Harmony  Lodge,  No.  20,  New  Britain ;  William  J.  Rawlings,  W.  M. 

St.  Peter's  Lodge,  No.  21,  New  Milford ;  Henry  S.  Meygatt,  W.  M. 

St.  James  Lodge,  No.  23,  Norwich  ;  Charles  B.  Chapman,  W.  M. 

Uriel  Lodge,  No.  24,  Merrow ;  William  H.  Bracket,  W.  M. 
Columbia  Lodge,  No.  25,  South  Glastonbury ;  L.  E.  Beaumont,  W.  M. 

Columbia  Lodge,  No.  26,  East  Haddam  ;  W.  C.  Reynolds,  W.  M. 

Rising  Sun  Lodge,  No.  27,  Washington  Depot ;  Henry  E.  Frisbie,  W.  M. 

Morning  Star  Lodge,  No.  28,  Warehouse  Point ;  William  A.  Lord,  W.  M. 

Village  Lodge,  No.  29,  Collinsville  ;  Charles  A.  Hart,  W.  M. 

Day  Spring  Lodge,  No.  30,  Hamden ;  George  L.  Clark,  W.  M. 

Union  Lodge,  No.  31,  New  London  ;  William  L.  Williams,  W.  M. 

Siloam  Lodge,  No.  32,  Saybrook ;  Richard  H.  Tucker,  W.  M. 
Friendship  Lodge,  No.  33,  Southington ;  Wallace  O.  Camp,  W.  M. 

Somerset  Lodge,  No.  34,  Norwich ;  Henry  J.  Adams,  W.  M. 

St.  Mark's  Lodge,  No.  36,  Tariffville ;  Henry  C.  Hoskins,  W.  M. 

Western  Star  Lodge,  No.  37,  Norfolk  ;  George  W.  Scoville,  W.  M. 

St.  Alban's  Lodge,  No.  38,  Guilford ;  Samuel  W.  Landon,  W.  M. 

Ark  Lodge,  No.  39,  Georgetown ;  Frederick  Foster,  W.  M. 

Union  Lodge,  No.  40,  Danbury  ;  William  H.  Oakley,  W.  M. 

Harmony  Lodge,  No.  42,  Waterbury  ;  John  D.  Chatfield,  W.  M. 

Trinity  Lodge,  No.  43,  Deep  River ;  Homer  Shailor,  W.  M. 
Eastern  Star  Lodge,  No.,44,  Willimantic ;  Thomas  F.  Howie,  W.  M. 

Pythagoras  Lodge,  No.  45,  Hamburg;  L.  B.  Brockway,  W.  M. 

Putnam  Lodge,  No.  46,  South  Woodstock ;  George  M.  Samson,  W.  M. 

Morning  Star  Lodge,  No.  47,  Seymour;  H.  S.  Halligan,  W.  M. 

St.  Luke's  Lodge,  No.  48,  Kent ;  Myron  I.  Millard,  W.  M. 

Jerusalem  Lodge,  No.  49,  Ridgefield ;  D.  Smith  Gage,  W.  M. 

Warren  Lodge,  No.  50,  South  Coventry ;  William  F.  Judd,  W.  M. 

Warren  Lodge,  No.  51,  Portland;  Frederick  Weir,  W.  M. 

Mount  Olive  Lodge,  No.  52,  Essex ;  Joseph  R.  Johnson,  W.  M. 

Hamilton  Lodge,  No.  54,  Sharon ;  A.  R.  Woodward,  W.  M. 

Seneca  Lodge,  No.  55,  Torrington  ;  F.  G.  Alldis,  W.  M. 

Franklin  Lodge,  No.  56,  Bristol ;  Julian  R.  Holly,  W.  M. 

Asylum  Lodge,  No.  57,  Stonington;  Henry  L.  Teed,  W.  M. 

Apollo  Lodge,  No.  59,  Suffield ;  Kirk  Jones,  W.  M. 

Wolcott  Lodge,  No.  60,  Stafford ;  Joseph  Saterlee,  W.  M. 

Housatonic  Lodge,  No.  61,  Canaan;  J.  B.  Hardenberg,  W.  M. 

Orient  Lodge,  No.  62,  East  Hartford ;  William  J.  Riley,  W.  M. 

St.  Andrew's  Lodge,  No.  64,  Winsted  ;  Lewis  D.  Hart,  W.  M. 


68  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


BAND,    17    PIECES. 

Temple  Lodge,  No.  65,  Westport;  Oscar  Smith,  W.  M. 


DRUM    CORPS. 

Widow's  Son  Lodge,  No.  66,  Branford ;  Edward  E.  Isbell,  W.  M. 

Harmony  Lodge,  No.  67,  New  Canaan ;  William  Patterson,  W.  M. 

Charity  Lodge,  No.  68,  Mystic  River ;  Amos  R.  Chapman,  W.  M. 

Fayette  Lodge,  No.  69,  Rockville  ;  William  Rogers,  W.  M. 

DRUM    CORPS,    10   PIECES. 

Washington  Lodge,  No.  70,  Windsor ;  H.  Tudor  White,  W.  M. 

Relief  Lodge,  No.  71,  Mystic  Bridge ;  E.  R.  Williams,  W.  M. 

Manchester  Lodge,  No.  73,  Manchester ;  George  W.  Ferris,  W.  M. 

Mount  Vernon  Lodge,  No.  75,  Jewett  City  ;  George  H.  Jennings.  \V.  M. 

Continental  Lodge,  No.  76,  Waterbury ;  William  E.  Risley,  W.  M. 

Meridian  Ixxlge,  No.  77,  Meriden;  George  E.  Bicknell,  W.  M. 

Shepherd's  Lodge,  No.  78,  Naugatuck  ;  T.  J.  Northrop,  W.  M. 

Washington  Lodge,  No.  81,  Cromwell;  Thomas  W.  Beaumont,  W.  M. 

George  Washington  Lodge,  No.  82,  Ansonia ;  J.  W.  Willis,  W.  M. 

Eureka  Lodge,  No.  83,  Bethel ;  Elliott  D.  Smith,  W.  M. 

Acacia  Lodge,  No.  85,  Greenwich ;  Samuel  Guion,  W.  M. 

Daskam  Lodge,  No.  86,  Glastonbury ;  James  P.  Cornish,  W.  M. 

.Madison  Lodge,  No.  87,  Madison  ;  Frank  C.  Dowd,  W.  M. 

Hartford  Lodge,  No.  88,  Hartford  ;  James  M.  Dow,  W.  M 

Ansantawae  Lodge,  No.  89,  Milford  ;  Elbert  L.  Ford,  W.  M. 

Pawcatuck  Lodge,  No.  90,  Pawcatuck ;  William  H.  Greene,  W.  M. 

St.  Mark's  Lodge,  No.  91,  Granby;  Condit  Hayes,  W.  M. 

Doric  Lodge,  No.  94,  Thompsonville ;  William  B.  Marks,  W.  M. 

Jephtha  Lodge,  No.  95,  Clinton  ;  Charles  E.  Carter,  W.  M. 

Union  Lodge,  No.  96,  Thomaston  ;  Ferdinand  Wolf,  W.  M. 

Centre  Lodge,  No.  97,  Meriden ;  Joseph  S.  Stokes,  W.  M. 

Hiram  Lodge,  No.  98,  Bloomfield ;  George  F.  Humphrey,  W.  M. 

Wyllys  Lodge,  No.  99,  West  Hartford  ;  Charles  A.  Bowles,  W.  M. 

Lafayette  Lodge,  No.  100,  Hartford ;  Thomas  Boyd,  W.  M. 
Evening  Lodge  Star,  No.  101,  Unionville ;  Charles  W.  Daniels,  W.  M. 
Brainerd  Lodge,  No.  102,  New  London ;  William  E.  Withey,  W.  M. 

Corinthian  Lodge,  No.  103,  Northford ;  John  P.  Potter,  W.  M. 

Corinthian  Lodge,  No.  104,  Bridgeport ;  Henry  D.  Beach,  W.  M. 

Lyon  Lodge,  No.  105,  Columbia;  Alanson  H.  Fox,  W.  M. 

Quinebaug  Lodge,  No.  106,  Putnam;  R.  W.  Mowry,  W.  M. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  69 


BAND,    1 8    PIECES. 

Old  Well  Lodge,  No.  108,  South  Norwalk ;  William  P.  Beers,  W.  M. 

DRUM   CORPS,    17    PIECES. 

Euclid  Lodge,  No.  109,  Windsor  Locks  ;  Albert  H.  Loring,  W.  M. 

Ionic  Lodge,  No.  no,  Stafford  Springs  ;  Harvey  S.  Abel,  W.  M. 

Oriental  Lodge,  No.  in,  Broad  Brook;  Frederick  D.  North,  W.  M. 

Anchor  Lodge,  No.  112,  East  Hampton ;  D.  D.  Brown,  W.  M. 

Moosup  Lodge,  No.  113,  Moosup;  Charles  N.  Allen,  W.  M. 

Evergreen  Lodge,  No.  1 14,  South  Windsor ;  William  N.  Jennings,  W.  M. 

Annawon  Lodge,  No.  115,  West  Haven;  Albert  F.  Sawe,  W.  M. 

Oxoboxo  Lodge,  No.  116,  Montville  ;  Charles  T.  Ramage,  W.  M. 

Centennial  Lodge,  No.  118,  New  Britain;  Frank  C.  Wetmore,  W.  M. 

Granite  Lodge,  No.  119,  Haddam  ;  George  A.  Dickinson,  W.  M. 

Bay  View  Lodge,  No.  120,  Niantic ;  George  O.  Brooks,  W.  M. 

Amos  Beecher  Lodge,  No.  121,  New  Hartford  ;  H.  Bennett  Case,  W.  M. 

COLT'S   ARMORY    BAND   OF   HARTFORD. 

Guests  in  Carriages. 
Officers  of  the  Grand  Lodge  in  Carriages. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. = 


1F.AND  MAriTER 


THE   CKNTKXXIAL.  71 


JOHX  HKNRY  S\VART\VOUT. 


Bro.  Swartwout  traces  his  descent  from  Dutch  ancestry, 
the  authorized  record  for  the  last  two  hundred  years  being  as 
follows : 

John  Henry  Swartwout,  b.  November  19,  1849,  at  Stamford,  Conn., 
son  of  Robert  of  Stamford,  b.  April  10,  1815,  at  New  York,  and  Sarah 
Stearns,  dau.  of  Samuel  Satterlee  of  New  York,  merchant  in  New  York  ; 
son  of  Robert  of  New  York,  b.  1778,  at  Poughkeepsie,  d.  1848,  at  New 
York,  Cm.  Margaret  Dunscomb)  merchant  in  New  York,  quartermaster- 
general  U.  S.  A.  1812-1814,  navy  agent;  son  of  * Abraham  of  Pough- 
keepsie, bapt.  there  February  13,  1742,  d.  there  October  15,  1799,  (m. 
Mary  North),  captain  N.  Y.  line  1776;  son  of  Abraham  of  Pough- 
keepsie, b.  1703  (m.Tryntje  Van  Kleck)  ;  son  of  Bernardus  of  Pough- 
keepsie, b.  1673  (m.  1700,  Rachel  Schepmoes)  ;  son  of  Roeloff 'of 
Exopus.  N.  Y.,  b.  in  Holland,  (m.  1657  Eva  Albertse  Bradt,  widow  of 
Anthony  de  Hooges),  first  sheriff  of  Exopus,  under  the  charter  granted 
by  the  States  General  in  1661,  member  of  Gov.  Lesler's  Council  1689, 
also  under  commission  of  Lesler  dated  December  26,  1689,  justice  and 
collector  for  Ulster  County,  December  24,  1689. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch,  whose  early  home  was  in  Stam- 
ford, Conn.,  received  the  benefits  of  a  good  education,  being 
first  instructed  at  home,  then  in  private  schools  where  he  was 
prepared  to  enter  Burlington  College,  New  Jersey,  in  which  in- 
stitution he  pursued  an  advanced  course  of  study.  He  made 
rapid  attainments,  acquiring  knowledge,  and  receiving  a  train- 
ing which  has  helped  him  in  the  activities  of  mature  life. 
When  quite  young  he  displayed  musical  tastes,  which  were 
cultivated  to  some  extent  in  succeeding  years,  so  that  he 
showed  a  considerable  proficiency  in  the  study  and  practice  of 
the  musical  art. 


*  The  garrison  was  without  >iflag  when  the  enemy  appeared,  but  their  pride  and 
ingenuity  soon  supplied  one  in  conformity  to  the  pattern  adopted  by  the  Continental 
Congress.  Shirts  were  cut  up  to  form  the  white  stripes,  bits  of  scarlet  cloth  were 
joined  for  the  red,  and  the  blue  ground  for  the  stars  was  composed  of  a  cloth  cloak 
belonging  to  Captain  Abraham  Swartwout,  of  Duchess  County,  who  was  then  in  the 
fort — Fort  Schuyler,  1777. — Lossing's  Held  Book  of  the  Revolution, Vol.  i,page  242. 


72  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


Entering  upon  a  business  career  he  manifested  therein 
energy,  promptness,  and  good  judgment,  and  soon  gained  an 
excellent  reputation.  He  was  companionable  and  public 
spirited,  showing  a  commendable  degree  of  interest  in  whatever 
related  to  the  general  welfare.  Political  questions  and  move- 
ments had  for  him  much  attraction,  and  he  gave  earnest  sup- 
port to  the  party  with  which  he  was  identified.  In  1879  he 
was  chosen  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Wardens  and  Burgesses, 
of  Stamford,  and  in  1885  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
General  Assembly.  In  March,  1887,  he  was  appointed  Post- 
master of  Stamford,  by  President  Cleveland,  and  held  the  office 
for  something  more  than  two  years  when  he  was  removed  by 
President  Harrison.  In  these  several  offices,  as  well  as  in  other 
positions  of  public  trust  and  responsibility,  he  satisfied  the  ex- 
pectations of  his  friends  by  a  faithful  and  efficient  performance  of 
the  duties  which  devolved  upon  him.  On  November  29,  1889,  he 
was  unanimously  elected  Secretary  of  the  Democratic  State  Com- 
mittee, an  office  which  claims  much  of  his  time  and  attention. 

Bro.  Swartwout  was  initiated  into  Freemasonry  in  1871,  in 
Union  Lodge,  No.  5,  of  Stamford ;  served  as  Junior  Warden 
1875  and  1876,  Senior  Warden  1877  and  1878,  and  W.  M. 
from  1879  to  1883.  He  was  made  a  Royal  Arch  Mason  in 
1872,  in  Rittenhouse  Chapter,  No.  11,  of  Stamford,  and  ad- 
vanced from  subordinate  stations  to  the  office  of  H.  P.  for  one 
year,  in  1880.  He  is  also  a  Knight  Templar,  having  received 
the  orders  in  Clinton  Commandery,  No.  3,  of  Norwalk,  but 
afterwards  affiliated  with  Hamilton  Commandery,  No.  5,  of 
Bridgeport.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Scottish  Rite  Bodies 
of  Bridgeport. 

In  1884  he  was  elected  Grand  Junior  Warden  of  the  Grand 
Lodge,  and  advanced  to  the  position  of  Grand  Master  in  1889, 
holding  one  year,  and  re-elected,  but  declined  serving  a  second 
term  on  account  of  his  business  engagements. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  73 


In  the  Grand  Chapter  he  was  advanced  from  subordinate 
stations  to  Grand  Scribe  in  1888,  and  at  the  annual  session 
held  in  May,  1889,  would  have  been  promoted,  but  declined 
the  honor  for  reasons  as  before  stated. 

In  all  these  departments  and  relations — in  private  and 
official  station — Bro.  Swartwout  has  made  clear  expression  of 
his  ardent  attachment  to  the  masonic  institution  and  his  readi- 
ness to  serve  its  interests.  He  has  shown  the  characteristics 
of  a  true  man  and  worthy  mason,  and  thus  has  come  to  hold  a 
place  of  deserved  honor  among  brothers  and  friends.  He  is 
one  of  the  most  genial  of  companions,  open-hearted,  frank,  in- 
telligent, quick  to  plan  and  apt  to  execute,  having,  therefore, 
the  qualifications  for  the  rendering  of  excellent  service  in  the 
way  of  masonic  legislation  and  administration. 


74  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


SMITH. 


The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  October  2?,  1829,  in- 
Norwalk,  Conn.,  which  has  been  his  place  of  residence  from 
boyhood  to  the  present  time.  He  received  his  primary  educa- 
tion in  the  common  schools,  and  graduated  in  the  VVeston  In- 
stitute, then  engaging  in  the  manufacture  of  pottery,  which 
occupation  he  followed  until  1888. 

In  his  native  place  he  has  been  honored  with  positions  of 
trust,  political  and  otherwise,  filling  many  offices  in  the  borough 
of  Norwalk,  and  in  1869  was  elected  as  Representative  to  the 
Connecticut  Legislature ;  also,  serving  in  the  Senate,  in  1885 
and  1886. 

In  the  year  1853  he  became  a  mason ;  was  initiated  Feb- 
ruary 3d,  passed  the  17th,  raised  the  24th,  and  immediately 
advanced  through  all  the  masonic  bodies  in  Norwalk,  being 
exalted  a  Royal  Arch  Mason  in  Washington  Chapiter,  No.  24, 
the  same  year,  and  on  the  31st  of  May,  1853,  Knighted  in 
Clinton  Commandery,  No.  6.  In  each  of  these  bodies  he  has 
been  an  active  worker,  having  served  in  subordinate  stations  in 
all,  and  elected  as  presiding  officer  of  each  ;  serving  as  Worship- 
ful Master  in  1857  ;  High  Priest  of  the  Chapter  from  1858  to 
1860,  and  Eminent  Commander  of  Clinton  Commandery  from 
1867  to  1873.  For  several  years  he  has  held  the  office  of  Prel- 
ate in  the  Commandery,  and  Treasurer  of  the  other  masonic 
bodies. 

In  the  Grand  Bodies  of  Connecticut  he  has  served  with 
equal  zeal,  and  has  passed  the  chair  in  the  Grand  Lodge  and 
Grand  Chapter..  On  the  llth  of  May,  1865,  he  was  elected 
Grand  Senior  Deacon  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  advancing  regularly 
through  the  various  stations  until  May  12,  1870,  when  he  was- 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  75 


elected  Grand  Master.  In  the  Grand  Chapter  he  was  elected 
Grand  Captain  of  the  Host,  May  11,  1858,  and  having  filled  the 
other  subordinate  positions,  was  elected  Grand  High  Priest, 
May  11,  1863,  and  re-elected  in  1864.  In  the  Grand  Com- 
mandery  he  held  the  several  offices  from  Grand  Sword  Bearer 
in  1854,  to  Grand  Captain  General,  being  elected  to  the  last 
office  May  13,  1858. 

In  the  various  stations  to  which  he  has  been  called,  and  in 
every  relation  in  life,  social,  business,  masonic  and  political,  he 
has  earned  the  respect,  confidence  and  good  cheer  of  all  that 
knew  him.  By  nature,  of  a  genial  and  hospitable  disposition, 
with  a  frank  and  open  hearted  bearing,  he  lives  among  his 
brethren  as  masons  should  live ;  making  friends,  and  always 
having  a  kindly  greeting  for  all.  Though  not  as  active  in 
masonry  as  in  younger  and  more  vigorous  days,  his  attachment 
for  the  craft  has  not  ceased,  or  begun  to  wane. 


76  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


ELI  S.  QUINTARD. 


Brother  Quintard  descended  from  good  New  England 
stock,  and  was  born  in  Norwalk,  Connecticut,  March  21,  1S20; 
his  father,  Anson  Quintard,  being  a  native  of  Nonvalk,  and 
his  mother  a  native  of  Reading.  He  received  his  education  in 
the  district  school  of  Nonvalk,  graduating  from  an  academy 
located  in  the  town. 

He  resided  in  his  native  town  until  the  age  of  fifteen,  when 
he  went  to  New  York  city,  remaining  about  two  years,  then 
locating  in  Herkimer  County,  New  York,  remaining  about  five 
years,  then  returning  to  Norwalk,  where  he  remained  until  the 
spring  of  1849,  when  he  entered  into  the  employ  of  the  New 
York  and  New  Haven  railroad,  serving  in  various  positions  for 
the  space  of  twenty  years.  He  then  removed  to  Sandusky, 
Ohio,  where  he  remained  about  eighteen  months,  returning  to 
New  Haven,  Conn.,  to  accept  the  position  of  superintendent  of 
the  New  Haven  and  Derby  railroad,  which  situation  he  filled 
until  the  spring  of  1888.  Since  then  he  has  been  located  in 
Waterbury,  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business,  under  Jhe  firm 
name  of  Quintard  &  Merriam. 

His  masonic  history  is  located  in  New  Haven,  where  he 
was  made  a  mason  in  Wooster  Lodge,  No.  79,  May  2,  1856. 
June  6,  1860,  he  was  elected  Senior  Deacon,  and  December  26, 
of  the  same  year,  was  elected  Worshipful  Master,  serving  one 
year.  His  advance  through  the  higher  orders  of  masonry  was 
very  rapid,  for  in  just  seven  days  after  becoming  a  Master 
Mason  he  was  made  a  Sir  Knight,  receiving  the  capitular  de- 
grees, in  Franklin  Chapter,  No.  2,  and  exalted  a  Royal  Arch 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  77 


Mason,  May  5,  1856,  and  elected  its  High  Priest  in  1861.  May 
6,  1856,  he  was  received  and  greeted  in  Harmony  Council, 
No.  8,  and  elected  Thrice  Illustrious  Master,  December  17, 
1850.  May  9,  1856,  he  was  knighted  in  New  Haven  Com- 
mandery,  No.  2,  and  was  elevated  to  the  position  of  Eminent 
Commander,  December  20,  1862,  serving  in  this  office  two 
years,  and  again  elected  in  1871,  serving  another  term  of  five 
years.  During  his  entire  administration  he  knighted  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty  templars,  his  first  candidate  being  Ex-Gov- 
ernor Hobart  B.  Bigelow. 

He  also  became  a  member  of  E.  G.  Storer  Lodge  of  Per- 
fection, December,  29,  1882,  and  served  three  years  as  its 
Thrice  Potent  Grand  Master;  Elm  City  Council,  Princes  of 
Jerusalem,  and  New  Haven  Chapter  of  Rose  Croix,  of  New 
Haven,  February  8,  1884,  serving  officially  in  each;  also  La 
Fayette  Consistory  of  Bridgeport,  March  9,  1884,  and  an  hon- 
orary member  of  the  Supreme  Council  for  the  Northern  Ma- 
sonic Jurisdiction,  September  20,  1887. 

In  the  State  Grand  Bodies  he  has  rendered  efficient  and 
faithful  service.  He  was  elected  Grand  Junior  Deacon  of  the 
Grand  Lodge,  May  14,  1863;  the  next  year,  Grand  Senior 
Warden,  and  May  11,  1865,  Grand  Master,  serving  two  years. 

May  10,  1864,  he  was  elected  Grand  Principal  Conductor 
of  the  Grand  Council,  then  D.  P.  Grand  Master,  and  May  8, 
1866,  M.  P.  Grand  Master,  serving  one  year. 

In  1863  he  was  appointed  Grand  Warder  of  the  Grand 
Commandery,  and  was  regularly  promoted  through  all  the  sta- 
tions to  the  office  of  Deputy  Grand  Commander,  in  1868,  but 
on  account  of  his  removal  to  Ohio  the  same  year,  he  was  pre- 
vented from  election  to  the  office  of  Grand  Commander.  His 
administration  in  each  of  these  bodies  has  been  marked  with 
success,  and  distinguished  him  for  honest  labor,  cheerfully  ren- 


78  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


dered.  He  is  a  man  of  decided  views,  and  gives  expression  to 
his  opinions  with  clearness  and  force,  yet  always  tolerant  and 
courteous ;  possesses  good  judgment,  with  strength  of  charac- 
ter, and  a  great  will  power  to  accomplish  results.  His  friend- 
ships are  without  cant,  and  when  once  established  remain  firm 
and  true,  and  sincere.  His  qualities  have  been  resources  of 
strength  in  his  masonic  labors,  and  have  made  him  successful 
in  every  commanding  position  which  he  has  held  among  the 
craftsmen. 


^PROGRAMME.  & 


80  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


ER  OF  EXERCISES^ 

AT  THE 

HYPERION   THEATER. 


\Vednesday    Afternoon,     -     2:3O    O'clock:. 


CENTENNIAL  ODE.  By  R.   W.  Joseph  K.   Wheeler. 

Sung  by  the  Audience,  accompanied  by  Colt's  Armory  Band,  of  Hartford. 

TUNE,  AMERICA. 

PRAYER.     By  Reverend  Brother  Beverley  E.    Warner,    Grand 
Chaplain  of  the  Grand  Lodge. 

RESPONSE.     By  the  Mendelssohn   Quartette,  Boston. 

HISTORICAL     ADDRESS.       By    R.    W.    Joseph    K.    Wheeler, 
Grand  Secretary. 

MUSICAL  SELECTION.     By  the  Mendelssohn   Quartette. 

CENTENNIAL    POEM.      By  Reverend  Brother   John    T.  Pettee, 
Prelate  of  St.  Elmo  Commandery,  No.  p. 

MUSICAL  SELECTION      By  the  Mendelssohn  Quartette. 

CENTENNIAL  ORATION.     By  Reverend  Brother  J.  W.  Richard- 
son, of  Stamford. 

DOXOLOGY.     Sung  by  the  Audience. 

Be  Thou  O  God  exalted  high, 
And  as  Thy  Glory  fills  the  sky, 
So  let  it  be  on  Earth  displayed 
Till  Thou  art  here  as  there  obeyed. 


THE   CENTENNIAL. 


CENTENNIAL  ODE. 


By  Right  Worshipful  Joseph  K.  Wheeler,   Grand  Secretary. 


Great  King  of  Kings,  our  Lord, 
Our  praise  with  one  accord 

To  Thee  we  bring; 
For  this  grand  jubilee, 
Our  ended  century, 
Blended  with  liberty, 

Our  anthems  ring. 

Help  us  to  praise  Thy  name, 
And  laud  with  loud  acclaim 

Thy  gracious  love ; 
Who  with  a  Father's  hand, 
Hast  led  our  noble  band, 
And  blest  our  favored  land, 

Great  God  above. 

May  Thine  own  radiant  light 
Lead  on  by  day  and  night, 

Ever  to  Thee; 
And  this  grand  order  bless 
With  grace  and  godliness, 
With  peace  and  happiness, 

And  unity. 

O  !  let  Thy  spirit's  flame 
Our  hearts  to  Thee  enchain, 

And  Thee  adore ; 
Let  faith  and  love  combine 
To  help  Thy  glory  shine, 
And  all  the  praise  be  Thine, 

For  evermore. 


82  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


PRAYER. 


By  Rev.  Brother  Sever  ley  E.  Warner,   Grand  Chaplain. 


Almighty  and  eternal  God,  Father  of  all  living ;  without 
whom  nothing  is  strong,  nothing  is  holy,  in  whom  we  live  and 
move  and  have  our  being;  we  invoke  Thy  blessing  upon  this 
brotherhood  assembled.  Thou  O  God  to  whom  our  beloved 
order  is  dedicated,  and  whose  benediction  is  sought  by  those 
who  work  with  square  and  compasses,  deign  to  bless  the  ser- 
vice of  this  day. 

As  Thy  holy  priests  and  prophets  of  old  set  up  their  me- 
morials to  adore  Thee,  and  to  perpetuate  the  noble  deeds  done 
in  Thy  name  and  honor,  so  we  Thy  servants  of  these  latter 
times  seek  by  this  service  to  praise  Thy  name  for  Thy  great 
goodness  to  us,  and  to  set  up  a  stone  of  remembrance  to  mark 
the  completion  of  our  first  century  of  masonic  work  and  prac- 
tice in  this  jurisdiction. 

To  Thee  as  Supreme  Architect,  we  gratefully  ascribe  the 
beauty  and  glory  of  this  our  temple  not  made  with  hands.  In- 
fuse us  anew  with  the  strength  and  wisdom  to  build  hereafter 
as  in  tne  past,  along  those  perfect  lines  of  faith,  hope  and  char- 
ity, which  in  Thy  good  time,  through  the  rude  scaffolding  of 
human  effort,  show  forth  the  beauty  of  holiness. 

May  the  story  to  be  told  this  day,  be  an  inspiration  to  the 
craft  everywhere  to  perform  their  duties  faithfully  as  members 
each  to  the  other,  and  worthily  as  under  the  all-seeing  eye  of 
Him  in  whom  as  masons  we  put  our  trust. 

\Ve  come  with  joy  and  gladness  to  celebrate  a  well-rounded 
century  of  work.  May  we  go  hence  better  masons  and  there- 
fore better  men,  realizing  more  deeply  than  ever  that  our  wis- 
dom is  in  Thy  blessed  name,  and  our  strength  derived  from  the 


THE    CENTENNIAL.  83 


strong  clasp  of  the  Lion  of  the  Tribe  of  Judah.  As  next  to  our 
duty  to  God,  we  recognize  loyalty  to  our  country  to  be  a 
masonic  obligation,  we  commend  to  Thy  divine  protection  the 
President  of  the  United  States  ;  the  Governor  of  this  State,  and 
all  others  in  authority.  Endue  them  with  heavenly  gifts,  bless 
them  with  long  life  and  continued  prosperity,  and  teach  their 
hearts  Thy  wisdom,  that  their  lives  may  show  forth  Thy  praise. 

Bless  all  masons  everywhere,  and  those  dear  to  them  of 
whatever  name.  Especially  do  we  commend  to  Thy  tender 
mercy  the  widows  and  orphans  of  those  who  have  been  raised 
to  the  Grand  Lodge  of  eternity ;  teach  them  to  look  for  help 
and  comfort  to  that  source  whence  flows  all  light  and  life. 

And  as  we  crave  Thy  blessing  upon  this  work  for  which, 
from  far  and  near  the  craft  are  this  day  assembled,  so  we  pray 
that  Thou  O  God  will  guard  us  on  our  homeward  way;  protect 
us  in  all  danger,  violence,  perils,  and  from  every  evil  to  which 
we  may  be  exposed,  and  in  the  midst  of  so  many  and  great 
dangers  that  by  reason  of  the  frailty  of  our  nature  we  cannot 
always  stand  upright.  Direct  us,  we  pray,  in  all  our  doings 
this  day  and  ever,  with  Thy  most  gracious  favor;  and  further 
us  with  Thy  continued  help,  that  in  all  our  works  begun,  con- 
tinued and  ended  in  Thee,  we  may  glorify  Thy  holy  name,  and 
finally  by  Thy  mercy  obtain  everlasting  life,  through  Him  who 
taught  us  to  approach  the  very  throne  of  God  in  these  com- 
fortable words : 

Our  Father  which  art  in  Heaven,  hallowed  be  Thy  name; 
Thy  kingdom  come,  Thy  will  be  done  in  earth  as  it  is  in 
Heaven ;  give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread,  and  forgive  us  our 
trespasses  as  we  forgive  those  who  trespass  against  us ;  and 
lead  us  not  into  temptation  ;  but  deliver  us  from  evil ;  for  Thine 
is  the  kingdom  and  the  power  and  the  glory,  for  ever  and  ever. 
AMEN. 


HISTORICAL  ADDRESS. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  85 


BY 

R.  W.  JOSEPH   K.  WHEELER,  GRAND  SECRETARY. 


MOST  WORSHIPFUL  GRAND  MASTER  AND  BRETHREN  OF  THE 
GRAND  LODGE  OF  CONNECTICUT: 

We  are  not  assembled  here  to-day  for  the  purpose  of  lift- 
ing the  shadow  that  veils  so  much  of  the  early  history  of  free- 
masonry in  the  haze  of  obscurity,  but  for  the  purpose  of 
reviewing  our  records  since  the  introduction  of  our  grand  fra- 
ternity into  this  jurisdiction,  and  more  especially  the  history 
of  the  craft  during  the  first  century  of  the  existence  of  this 
M.  W.  Grand  Lodge. 

One  hundred  years  ago  a  little  band  of  twenty-one  free- 
masons, representing  the  best  element  in  the  community, 
assembled  at  the  old  "Doolittle  Tavern,"  in  this  city — then 
standing  on  the  corner  of  Elm  and  College  streets,  where  the 
theological  buildings  are  now  located — and  there  organized  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut.  They  were  men  of  intelligence 
and  influence,  filling  dignified  stations  in  the  community  in 
which  they  lived,  and  whose  interests  were  so  closely  identified 
with  the  welfare  of  the  colony,  that  our  historical  sketch  of 
freemasonry  will  enter  somewhat  into  the  history  of  the  State. 

The  great  struggle  for  American  liberty  had  ended,  which 
for  seven  years  had  taxed  the  resources  and  endurance  of  the 
colonies,  and  the  people  were  gradually  settling  down  to  enjoy 
the  peaceful  fruits  of  victory,  as  an  independent  republic,  capa- 
ble of  self-government. 

It  would  be  natural,  under  such  conditions  of  freedom, 
that  the  fraternity  should  consider  the  propriety  of  throwing 


THE   CENTENNIAL. 


off  its  allegiance  to  foreign  authority  and  establish  a  masonic 
government.  In  a  few  jurisdictions  Grand  Lodges  had  already 
been  organized,  and  Connecticut  had  only  delayed,  expecting, 
and  even  desiring  that  a  Supreme  Grand  Lodge  for  the  United 
States  might  be  established,  with  General  George  Washington 
as  Grand  Master. 

This  sentiment  existed  not  alone  in  this  jurisdiction,  but 
in  several  others,  and  circular  letters  were  issued  from  the 
various  masonic  bodies  with  this  object  in  view,  which  was 
finally  considered  inexpedient,  and  abandoned.  Brother  Wash- 
ington also  had  but  a  few  weeks  previous  been  installed  as  the 
first  president  of  the  young  republic. 

Since  then  a  century  has  ripened  into  existence,  and  a 
hundred  years  have  perished  from  the  tree  of  time,  and  we  are 
met  here  to-day  to  pay  honor  to  these  illustrious  founders  of 
our  order,  and  sink  a  shaft  through  the  decades  and  cycles,  and 
draw  from  thence  a  little  of  the  fervor  and  inspiration  that 
prompted  the  exertions  of  our  masonic  ancestors,  while  old 
Father  Time  lays  down  his  scythe  and  hour-glass  to  erect  a 
milestone  in  our  pathway  on  his  ceaseless  journey. 

Prior  to  the  final  organization  of  this  Grand  Lodge,  which 
is  reported  in  our  published  proceedings,  several  conventions 
or  general  assemblies  were  held,  at  which  business  for  the  wel- 
fare of  the  fraternity  was  transacted.  The  first  of  which  we 
have  any  knowledge,  was  held  in  this  city  on  Tuesday,  April 
29,  1783,  in  pursuance  of  the  recommendation  of  thirteen 
lodges,  who  met  on  the  13th  of  March  preceding.  At  this  con- 
vention twelve  lodges  were  represented  by  twenty-one  dele- 
gates. Brother  Comfort  Sage  of  Middletown,  was  chosen 
moderator,  and  Pierpont  Edwards  clerk,  when  the  credentials 
of  the  several  delegates  were  examined  and  the  charters  of 
the  lodges  read.  The  convention  then  proceeded  to  business 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  87 


and  adopted  regulations  for  the  government  of  the  craft,  which 
would  not  interfere  with  the  by-laws  of  the  particular  lodges. 
The  only  thing  lacking  at  this  convention  to  complete  the 
organization  of  a  Grand  Lodge  was  the  election  of  officers  or  a 
Grand  Master. 

It  was  voted  to  hold  another  convention  in  Middletown  on 
the  last  Tuesday  of  the  following  September,  at  precisely  10 
o'clock,  a.  m.,  and  that  brother  Oliver  Lewis,  a  lawyer  from 
Hartford,  be  appointed  to  deliver  an  oration. 

Our  Grand  Lodge  records  have  no  account  of  this  conven- 
tion held  at  Middletown,  or  any  other  general  assembly,  until 
May  14,  1789,  but  the  presumption  is  strong  that  the  Middle- 
town  convention  was  held,  and  that  the  feasibility  of  organiz- 
ing a  Grand  Lodge  was  there  discussed,  and  a  call  issued  to 
meet  in  New  Haven  the  next  January  to  effect  a  permanent 
organization. 

We  are  fortified  in  this  conclusion  by  the  following  record, 
to  be  found  in  the  record  book  of  St.  John's  Lodge,  No.  3,  of 
Bridgeport.  It  was  entered  next  after  the  minutes  of  the  lodge 
for  March  24,  1784,  and  was  without  doubt  an  attested  copy 
of  the  proceedings  transmitted  to  the  several  lodges,  furnishing 
a  record  of  the  transactions  of  the  New  Haven  convention. 

The  following  is  the  copy : 

"At  a  meeting  of  the  lodges  in  the  State  of  Connecticut  by 
their  committees,  holden  in  the  lodge  room  in  New  Haven,  the 
14th  of  January,  1784,  for  the  purpose  of  choosing  a  Grand 
Master  and  other  Grand  Officers  for  the  State. 

PRESENT. 
NEW    HAVEN:     Brothers  Pierpont    Edwards,  Line    Dennison, 

Jonas  Prentice. 

MIDDLETOWN:   Brother  Comfort  Sage. 
HARTFORD  :    Brothers  Jonathan  Bulkeley,  William  Heron. 
NORWALK:   Brother  Matthew  Reed. 


88  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


WOODBURY :   Brothers  Hezekiah  Thomson,  Josiah   Beers. 

STRATFORD:  Brothers  Philip  Nichols,  Matthew   Nichols. 

DANBURY:   Brother  Sallu  Pell. 

COLCHESTER:   Brother  Comfort  Sage. 

DERBY  :   Brothers  John  Fowler,  Henry  Whitney,  William  Clark. 

Brother  Comfort  Sage  was  chosen  Chairman,  and  brother 
William  Adams,  Secretary.  The  meeting  now  proceeded  to 
the  choice  of  a  Grand  Master,  etc.,  and  the  ballots  being  taken, 
brother  Pierpont  Edwards  was  unanimously  chosen  Grand 
Master  for  the  State ;  brother  Comfort  Sage,  Grand  Senior 
Warden  ;  brother  Hezekiah  Thomson,  Grand  Junior  Warden  ; 
brother  Philip  Nichols,  Grand  Treasurer;  brother  Sallu  Pell, 
Grand  Secretary. 

A  true  copy  of  the  votes  and  proceedings  of  the  meeting 
of  the  lodges  of  Freemasons,  by  their  committees,  holden  at 
New  Haven  on  the  14th  of  January,  1784. 

Test:  WILLIAM  ADAMS,  Clerk." 

According  to  the  recognized  principles  of  masonic  juris- 
prudence which  have  governed  the  organization  of  grand  lodges, 
the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut  was  legally  organized  at  this 
convention,  and  its  Centennial  Anniversary  should  have  been 
celebrated  on  Monday,  January  ij.,  1884. 

More  than  five  years  after  this  convention,  another  assem- 
bly of  the  lodges  convened  at  Hartford,  it  being  on  the  14th  of 
May,  1789,  to  again  consider  the  question  of  establishing  a 
Grand  Lodge  and  the  appointment  of  necessary  officers.  The 
convention  organized  with  brother  William  Judd,  President, 
brother  Ephraim  Kirby,  Secretary,  when  a  committee  was 
appointed  to  arrange  a  systematic  plan  for  organizing  a  Grand 
Lodge  in  this  State,  and  lay  the  same  before  a  convention  of 
delegates,  to  be  assembled  at  the  lodge  room  in  New  Haven, 
on  the  8th  of  July,  following. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  89 


The  lodges  convened  in  this  city  on  the  8th  of  July,  1789, 
as  I  have  before  stated  —  adopted  a  constitution,  regulations 
and  ordinances,  and  elected  officers — and  we  have  since  recog- 
nized this  date  as  the  beginning  of  our  century,  the  centennial 
of  which  we  are  this  day  celebrating. 

Twelve  lodges  were  represented  by  twenty-one  delegates 
to  this  convention.  The  lodges  were  designated,  previous  to 
this,  by  the  cities  or  towns  where  located,  as  the  names  were 
not  incorporated  in  their  early  charters. 

The    following    is    the    list    represented,    with    names    of 
delegates : 
Hiram  Lodge,  New  Haven :   Pierpont  Edwards,  Jonas  Prentice, 

Elias  Shipman,  Elijah  Austin,  Russell  Clark. 
St.  John's  Lodge,  Middletown :   Asher  Miller,  George  Phillips, 

Ezekiel  Woodruff,  William  W.  Parsons. 
St.  John's  Lodge,  Fairfield :   Elijah  Abel,  Daniel  Young. 
St.  John's  Lodge,  Hartford :   Samuel  Wyllys. 
King  Solomon's  Lodge,  Woodbury:   Nathan  Preston. 
St.  John's  Lodge,  Stratford :   Joseph  L.  Wooster. 
Lodge  in  Wallingford:   Tyrhand  Kirtland. 
Lodge  in  Danbury:   Joshua  King. 

Wooster  Lodge,  Colchester :  Asa  Worthington,  Elijah  Bingham. 
St.  Paul's  Lodge,  Litchfield :   Ephraim  Kirby. 
Frederick  Lodge,  Farmington :   John  Mix. 
Montgomery  Lodge,  Salisbury:   Samuel  Lee. 

The  following  Grand  Officers  were  elected :  Bro.  Pierpont 
Edwards,  New  Haven,  Grand  Master;  Bro.  William  Judd,  Mid- 
dletown, Deputy  Grand  Master;  Bro.  Ralph  Pomeroy,  Hart- 
ford, Grand  Senior  Warden ;  Bro.  Samuel  Wyllis,  Hartford, 
Grand  Junior  Warden;  Bro.  George  Phillips,  Middletown, 
Grand  Treasurer ;  Elias  Shipman,  New  Haven,  Grand  Secre- 
tary ;  Elijah  Abel,  Fairfield,  Grand  Senior  Deacon ;  Asher 
Miller,  Middletown,  Grand  Junior  Deacon. 


90  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


The  lodges  represented  at  this  convention  received  their 
first  charters  from  the  following  different  sources:  Hiram,  of 
Xe\v  Haven;  St.  John's,  of  Middletown;  St.  John's,  of  Hart- 
ford; King  Solomon's,  of  Woodbury;  Compass,  of  Walling- 
ford ;  and  a  lodge  in  Danbury;  from  the  St.  John's  Grand 
Lodge  of  Boston,  Mass.,  as  descending  from  the  Grand  Master 
of  England  through  the  Provincial  Grand  Masters:  Wooster, 
of  Colchester ;  St.  Paul's,  of  Litchfield  ;  Montgomery,  of  Salis- 
bury; and  Frederick,  of  Farmington ;  from  the  Massachusetts 
Grand  Lodge  as  descending  from  the  Grand  Master  of  Scot- 
land, through  the  Provincial  Grand  Masters.  It  was  from  this 
source  that  the  renowned  Lodge  of  St.  Andrew,  of  Boston, 
received  its  charter  November  30,  1756,  the  first  one  chartered 
by  Scottish  authority  in  this  country.  St.  John's,  of  Fairfield 
and  St.  John's,  of  Stratford,  were  chartered  by  R.  VV.  George 
Harrison,  Provincial  Grand  Master  of  the  Province  of  New 
York,  who  received  his  deputation  from  the  Grand  Master  of 
England.  All  these  lodges  that  took  a  part  in  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Grand  Lodge  are  in  existence  to-day,  and  each  one 
is  represented  at  the  first  Centennial,  not  excepting  "Old 
Hiram,"  No.  1,  of  New  Haven,  which,  like  the  prodigal  son,  has 
recently  returned  to  the  allegiance  of  this  Grand  Body  which 
it  helped  to  create,  and  which  furnished  our  first  Grand  Master 
and  Grand  Secretary.  May  this  now  unbroken  union  continue 
unsullied  and  untarnished,  remaining  loyal  and  true  each  to 
the  other  throughout  the  century  now  open  before  us,  and 
which  we  have  already  entered. 

The  following  statement  will  furnish  the  dates  of  each  of 
their  early  charters  with  the  name  of  Grand  Master,  also  the 
date  of  the  charter  issued  by  this  Grand  Lodge : 

Hiram  Lodge,  No.  1 ;  first  charter  granted  August  12,  17."><>, 
and  dated  November  12,  1750,  signed  by  R.  W.  Thomas 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  91 


Oxnard.  Its  Connecticut  charter  is  dated  August  17,  1796, 
and  is  signed  by  William  Judd,  Grand  Master. 

St.  John's  Lodge,  No.  2 ;  first  charter  granted  February 
4th  and  dated  February  14,  1754,  signed  by  R.  W.  Thomas 
Oxnard.  Connecticut  charter  dated  May  20,  1796,  and  signed 
by  William  Judd. 

St.  John's  Lodge,  No.  3;  first  charter  dated  February  12, 
1762,  and  signed  by  R.  W.  George  Harrison.  Connecticut 
charter  dated  October  18,  1792,  and  signed  by  William  Judd. 

St.  John's  Lodge,  No.  4;  first  charter  dated  March  21, 
1762,  and  signed  by  R.  W.  Jeremy  Gridley,  who  succeeded 
Oxnard  soon  after  his  decease,  June  26,  1754.  Connecticut 
charter  dated  May  20,  1795,  and  signed  by  William  Judd. 

King  Solomon's  Lodge,  No.  7 ;  first  charter  dated  July  17, 
1765,  and  signed  by  R.  W.  Jeremy  Gridley.  Connecticut 

charter  dated  October (day  of  month  not  given),  1790, 

and  signed  by  Pierpont  Edwards. 

St.  John's  Lodge,  No.  8  ;  first  charter  dated  April  27,  1766, 
and  signed  by  R.  W.  George  Harrison.  Connecticut  charter 
dated  October  9,  1795,  and  signed  by  William  Judd. 

Compass  Lodge,  No.  9 ;  first  charter  dated  May  1,  1769, 
and  signed  by  R.  W.  John  Rowe  who  succeeded  Jeremy  Grid- 
ley.  The  Connecticut  charter  is  dated  August  17,  1796,  and 
signed  by  William  Judd. 

Lodge  in  Danbury;  first  charter  dated  March  23,  1780, 
and  signed  by  R.  W.  John  Rowe.  Connecticut  charter  is  dated 
November  7,  1797,  and  signed  by  William  Judd. 

Wooster  Lodge,  No.  10 ;  first  charter  granted  January  12, 
1781,  by  the  Massachusetts  Grand  Lodge,  with  R.  W.  Joseph 
Webb,  Grand  Master.  The  charter  is  lost,  also  its  first  Con- 
necticut charter,  and  the  date  of  issue  is  unknown  or  by  whom 
issued. 


92  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


St.  Paul's  Lodge,  No.  11;  first  charter  granted  May  27, 
1781,  and  dated  June  1st  of  the  same  year,  signed  by  R.  W. 
Joseph  Webb.  Its  Connecticut  charter  is  dated  October  10, 
1790,  and  is  signed  by  Pierpont  Edwards. 

Montgomery  Lodge,  No.  13 ;  first  charter  dated  March  5, 
1783,  and  signed  by  R.  VV.  Joseph  Webb.  Its  Connecticut 
charter  is  dated  May  12,  1792,  and  signed  by  William  Judd. 

Frederick  Lodge,  No.  14;  first  charter  issued  from  the 
Massachusetts  Grand  Lodge,  September  18,  1787,  which  is  in 
possession  of  the  lodge.  The  original  Connecticut  charter  has 
been  destroyed  and  its  date  of  issue  is  unknown. 

On  all  these  Connecticut  charters  is  incorporated  the  fact 
that  the  former  charters  had  been  returned,  showing  conclu- 
sively that  it  was  the  design  of  the  Grand  Lodge  not  to  issue 
new  charters  until  the  old  ones  had  been  returned  and  canceled, 
but  at  the  October  session  held  in  1790,  it  was  provided  that 
they  might  be  returned,  being  first  registered,  and  such  reg- 
ister certified  on  the  back  of  said  former  charters. 

Several  lodges  existed  at  the  organization  of  the  Grand 
Lodge  in  1789,  that  took  no  part  in  the  proceedings.  Among 
them  we  find  Union,  of  Stamford;  St.  John's,  of  Nonvalk; 
King  Hiram,  of  Derby ;  a  lodge  in  New  London  ;  one  in  Guil- 
ford  and  one  in  Waterbury.  St.  John's,  of  Norwalk,  and  King 
Hiram,  of  Derby,  were  represented  at  the  convention  in  1783, 
and  with  Union,  of  Stamford,  soon  joined  the  Grand  Lodge, 
taking  new  charters  therefrom. 

Union  Lodge,  of  Stamford,  received  its  first  charter  from 
the  Provincial  Grand  Lodge,  of  New  York,  dated  November  18, 
1763,  and  signed  by  R.  VV.  George  Harrison.  Its  Connecticut 
charter  was  dated  October  17,  1793,  and  signed  by  William 
Judd. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  93 


St.  John's  Lodge,  of  Norvvalk,  received  its  first  charter 
from  the  Provincial  Grand  Lodge,  of  New  York,  and  was  dated 
May  23,  1765.  Its  Connecticut  charter  is  of  same  date  as 
Union. 

King  Hiram  Lodge,  of  Derby,  (then  Darby,)  received  its 
first  charter  from  the  Massachusetts  Grand  Lodge,  dated  Janu- 
ary 3,  1783,  bearing  the  signature  of  R.  W.  Joseph  Webb.  Its 
Connecticut  charter  is  dated  May  12,  1792,  and  signed  by 
William  Judd. 

Lodge  in  Guilford.  The  original  charter  was  issued  from 
the  St.  John's  Grand  Lodge,  of  Boston,  July  10,  1771,  bearing 
the  signature  of  R.  W.  John  Rowe.  It  has  no  early  records, 
and  soon  ceased  active  operations  on  account  of  the  hostilities 
which  commenced  between  Great  Britain  and  the  colonies  in 
1776.  The  exposed  situation  of  Guilford  to  the  ravages  of  the 
enemy,  caused  the  lodge  to  disband,  and  the  members  became 
so  dispersed  that  they  never  congregated  afterwards.  A  new 
charter  was  granted  in  1797,  and  is  dated  June  10th  of  that 
year,  signed  by  William  Judd,  and  known  as  St.  Alban's  Lodge, 
No.  38. 

Lodge  in  Waterbury.  A  charter  was  issued  July  17,  1765, 
by  the  St.  John's  Grand  Lodge,  of  Boston,  and  signed  by  R.  W. 
Jeremiah  Gridley.  In  1797  a  petition  was  presented  to  this 
Grand  Lodge  asking  for  a  charter,  which  was  issued,  bearing 
date  November  7,  1797,  and  known  as  Harmony  Lodge,  No. 
42.  A  history  of  the  lodge  has  been  prepared  by  brother 
Nathan  Dikeman,  and  is  published  in  our  last  annual  report. 

A  charter  was  granted  for  a  lodge  to  be  held  in  New  Lon- 
don, by  the  St.  John's  Grand  Lodge,  of  Boston,  as  early  as 
January  12,  1753,  which  was  the  second  lodge  chartered  in  this 
jurisdiction.  R.  W.  Thomas  Oxnard  was  at  the  time  Provincial 
Grand  Master,  and  the  charter  probably  bore  his  signature. 


D4  THE    CENTENNIAL. 


Nothing  is  known  of  the  petitioners  or  records  of  this  early 
lodge,  neither  is  there  any  record  in  our  proceedings  of  the 
first  Connecticut  charter  issued.  It  must  have  been  granted  at 
an  annual  session,  held  in  May,  17U5,  as  the  charter  is  dated 
May  20th  of  that  year,  and  signed  by  William  Judd.  The 
Grand  Lodge  has  no  record  of  such  a  communication,  and  this 
charter  is  the  only  evidence  that  an  annual  communication  was 
held  in  1795.  The  petitioners  were  Amasa  Learned,  Elijah 
Bingham,  Elias  Perkins,  Lyman  Law,  Moses  Warren,  William 
Richards,  Richard  Law,  Jr.  and  Samuel  Lee.  Brother  William 
Richards  was  the  first  Master;  Elijah  Bingham,  first  Senior 
Warden ;  and  Amasa  Learned,  first  Junior  Warden ;  and  the 
name  of  Elias  Perkins  appears  as  proxy  for  the  Master  and 
Senior  Warden  at  the  half-yearly  communication,  held  October 
14th,  following. 

A  charter  was  granted  June  24,  1785,  by  the  Massachu- 
setts Grand  Lodge,  for  a  lodge  in  Norwich,  by  the  name  of 
Columbia.  Nothing  is  known  of  its  early  history.  It  after- 
wards petitioned  to  this  Grand  Lodge  to  be  recognized,  but 
Somerset  Lodge  having  already  been  established  in  Norwich, 
the  petition  was  refused.  We  judge  that  Columbia  Lodge 
endeavored  to  revive  under  its  Massachusetts  charter  and  make 
masons,  for  in  1803  the  Grand  Lodge  passed  a  resolution  pro- 
hibiting the  lodges  from  holding  masonic  intercourse  with  the 
so-called  Columbia  Lodge,  and  its  members  were  refused 
admission  into  any  lodge  in  the  State. 

Having  traced  our  early  proceedings  to  the  permanent 
organization  of  this  Body,  let  us  now  devote  a  few  moments  to 
the  personal  history  of  its  originators  and  founders,  to  whom 
we  owe  very  much  for  the  intelligence,  character  and  social 
standing  of  our  early  masonic  leaders. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  95 


EDWARDS, 

Our  first  Grand  Master,  was  the  youngest  son  of  Dr.  Jonathan 
Edwards,  a  celebrated  American  divine  and  theologian.  Young 
Edwards  was  born  in  Massachusetts  in  1750,  and  died  in 
Bridgeport,  Conn.,  in  1826.  He  aided  his  father  in  his  mis- 
sionary labors  among  the  Stockbridge  Indians,  furnishing  them 
instruction  by  the  aid  of  their  native  language.  He  was  grad- 
uated at  Princeton ;  began  the  practice  of  law  in  New  Haven 
in  1771 ;  fought  in  the  army  of  the  revolution;  was  a  member 
of  the  Continental  Congress;  founder  of  the  Toleration  party 
in  Connecticut;  and  at  the  time  of  his  death,  was  Judge  of  the 
United  States  District  Court. 

WILLIAM  JUDD, 

Our  first  Deputy  Grand  Master,  was  known  by  the  title  of 
Major  Judd,  having  served  as  an  officer  in  the  revolution.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  committee  of  correspondence  in  the  war, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1765.  He  was  chairman  of  the 
convention  of  citizens  of  this  State  in  1804,  to  agitate  the  mat- 
ter of  a  State  Constitution,  and  the  General  Assembly,  which 
was  then  opposed  to  the  idea,  was  so  much  offended  at  Judd's 
activity  in  the  cause,  that  it  revoked  his  commission  as  a  justice 
of  the  peace.  Major  Judd  is  said  to  have  died  broken  hearted 
in  consequence  of  the  persecutions  which  ensued,  because  of 
his  zeal  in  the  advocacy  of  a  constitution.  He  was  one  of  the 
most  distinguished  members  of  the  Hartford  County  bar. 

RALPH    POMEROY, 

Our  first  Grand  Senior  Warden,  was  also  a  member  of  the 
Hartford  County  bar,  and  was  an  alderman  in  the  first  court  of 
Common  Council  of  the  city  of  Hartford,  in  1784,  and  had  pre- 
viously served  as  paymaster  in  the  army  of  the  revolution. 


96  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


\VYLLYS, 

Our  first  Grand  Junior  Warden,  ranked  high  as  a  military  offi- 
cer. He  was  the  first  Commandant  of  the  First  Company 
Governor's  Foot  Guard,  of  Hartford ;  Colonel  of  a  regiment  in 
the  revolution ;  and  Major  General  of  the  State  militia  from 
1792  to  1796.  He  was  an  alderman  in  the  first  court  of  Com- 
mon Council  of  Hartford,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  in  1823, 
he  was  Secretary  of  the  State  of  Connecticut.  He  was  a 
distinguished  member  of  a  distinguished  family,  and  Wyllys 
Lodge,  No.  99,  of  West  Hartford,  was  named  in  recognition  of 
his  worth  as  a  man  and  a  mason. 

GEOROE  PHILLIPS, 

Our  first  Grand  Treasurer,  is  presumed  to  be  the  same  person 
of  that  name  who  was  Brigadier-General  of  the  militia  in  1795  ; 
a  Director  of  the  Broadcloth  Manufactory  at  Hartford,  in  1788, 
where  the  cloth  was  manufactured  for  the  inaugural  suit  worn 
by  General  George  Washington,  the  first  President  of  the 
United  States ;  and  a  Director  of  the  Hartford  Bank  in  the  first 
year  of  its  organization  in  1792.  He  was  the  Collector  of  Cus- 
toms at  Middletown,  and  died  at  New  Orleans  in  1802. 

ELIJAH  ABEL, 

Our  first  Grand  Senior  Deacon,  served  with  credit  as  Captain 
of  a  company,  and  as  Major  in  the  war  of  the  revolution. 

ASHER    MILLER, 

Our  first  Grand  Junior  Deacon,  .was  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
1780,  and  was  a  prominent  civil  officer.  He  was  for  some 
years  State's  Attorney  for  Middlesex  County,  and  Judge  of  the 
Superior  Court  from  1793  to  1795.  He  died  in  1821. 

Thus  we  find  that  five  of  our  first  eight  Grand  Officers 
were  lawyers ;   five  were  officers  in  the  army  of  the  revolution ; 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  97 


one  a  Judge  of  the  Superior  Court;  and  one  a  Judge  of  the 
United  States  District  Court.  This  may  in  a  measure  account 
for  the  impression  sometimes  expressed  in  our  day,  that  "the 
Grand  Lodge  is  run  by  lawyers;"  and  also  that  our  methods 
of  masonic  government  have  ever  been  prompted  by  the  dic- 
tates of  an  enlightened  common  sense,  fortified  by  the  princi- 
ples of  loyalty  and  patriotism. 

Of  the  delegates  to  the  convention,  and  to  the  preliminary 
ones  held  prior  to  our  final  organization,  we  find  records 
attesting  in  a  remarkable  degree  the  character,  and  high  social 
standing  of  our  early  patrons.  Among  the  foremost  was 

KPHRAIM  KIRBY, 

who  was  born  in  Litchfield,  in  1757.  He  was  distinguished  as 
a  jurist,  and  for  his  valiant  service  in  the  revolution.  He  was 
in  nineteen  engagements  and  received  thirteen  wounds.  He 
was  the  author  of  "Kirby's  reports  and  decisions"  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  this  State,  published  in  1789,  and  said  to 
have  been  the  first  work  of  this  kind  published  in  the  United 
States.  He  was  a  candidate  for  Governor  several  times,  and 
was  appointed  by  President  Jefferson,  Supervisor  of  the  United 
States  revenue  for  Connecticut  in  1801.  Appointed  as  Judge 
of  the  Territory  of  Orleans  (Louisiana),  he  died  while  on  his 
way  thither,  at  Fort  Stoddard,  Mississippi,  in  October,  1804. 
He  was  the  grandfather  of  Brigadier-General  Edmund  Kirby, 
killed  at  Chancellorsville  in  the  late  war. 


WOODRUFF, 

A  native  of  Southington,  was  graduated  at  Yale  College  in 
1779.  He  practiced  law  in  Middletown,  and  was  city  clerk 
from  1780  to  1789,  from  whence  he  removed,  but  whither  it  is 
not  known. 


98  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


NATHAN   PRESTON 

Was  a  native  of  Woodbury;  born  in  1756;  and  was  Judge  of 
Probate  from  1795  to  1805.  He  died  in  1822. 

TYRHAND  KIRTLAND, 

Or  Turhand  Kirtland,  was  born  in  Wallingford,  in  1755.  He 
served  in  the  army  of  the  revolution,  on  Long  Island.  He  was 
an  original  member  of  the  Connecticut  Land  Company,  which 
purchased  the  area  known  as  the  Western  Reserve,  or  New 
Connecticut,  and  guided  emigrants  into  that  region.  He  re- 
moved thither  in  1803,  and  became  a  State  senator  and  Judge 
of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  in  Ohio.  He  was  the  first 
Master  of  Erie  Lodge,  No.  47,  chartered  in  Ohio  by  this 
Grand  Lodge.  He  died  at  Poland,  Ohio,  in  1844. 

JOSHUA  KINO, 

Of  Ridgefield,  was  the  Lieutenant  King  to  whom  Major  Andre, 
the  British  spy,  first  revealed  his  identity.  He  became  a  Major 
General  of  the  militia  of  this  State. 

COL.   JOHN    MIX, 

Of  Farmington,  had  been  lieutenant  and  adjutant  in  the  Second 
Connecticut  Regiment,  in  the  war  of  the  revolution.  He  was 
town  clerk  of  Farmington  thirty-two  years  ;  probate  judge  for 
ten  years ;  Grand  Secretary  of  this  Grand  Lodge  twenty-nine 
years,  and  Quartermaster  General  in  1796.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Society  of  Cincinnati,  and  died  in  1834,  the  year  in 
which  the  present  Grand  Secretary  was  born. 

CAPT.  SAMUEL  LEE, 

Of  Salisbury,  received  his  title  during  service  in  the  revolu- 
tion. He  was  a  justice  of  the  peace  for  Litchfield  county,  and 
had  been  a  representative  in  the  General  Assembly. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  99 


COL.    JAMES    I.OCKWOOD, 

Of  New  Haven,  had  been  a  major  in  the  revolutionary  army. 
He  was  a  son  of  the  Rev.  James  Lockwood,  of  Wethersfield, 
and  a  graduate  of  Yale  College.  He  became  a  merchant,  first 
in  New  Haven,  then  in  Philadelphia,  and  finally  went  to  Wil- 
mington, North  Carolina,  where  he  died  in  1795. 

GEN.  COMFORT  SAQE 

Had  been  a  colonel  of  the  twenty-third  regiment,  in  the  war  of 
the  revolution,  and  for  many  years  represented  Middletown,  in 
the  General  Assembly. 

CAPT.    JOHN    COTTON 

Was  one  of  the  Connecticut  naval  officers.  By  direction  oi 
the  General  Assembly,  he  superintended  the  construction  of 
the  frigate  Trumbull,  of  twenty-eight  guns,  at  Chatham. 

JONATHAN    BUCKLEY, 

Of  Fairfield  (whose  surname  should  be  spelled  Bulkeley),  was 
of  the  same  stock  as  our  present  Governor,  Morgan  G.  Bulke- 
ley, since  like  him,  he  was  a  descendant  of  the  Rev.  Peter 
Bulkeley.  His  dwelling  house,  which  was  also  a  tavern,  was 
the  headquarters  of  the  British  General  Lyon,  when  Fairfield 
was  invaded  in  1776.  It  later  became  the  headquarters  of  Col- 
onel Talmadge  of  the  American  army.  He  died  in  1789,  aged 
58  years. 

WILLIAM  ADAMS, 

Of  Hartford,  was  a  Commissary  of  the  revolutionary  war.  He 
was  Lieutenant  and  Paymaster  in  Colonel  Swift's  regiment  of 
the  Continental  line.  After  the  revolution  he  practiced  law  in 
Hartford,  and  died  in  1792. 

OLIVER  LEWIS 

Was  admitted  to  practice  at  the  Hartford  bar  in  1783,  and  is 
supposed  to  have  died  at  Savannah,  Georgia,  about  a  year  after. 


100  THE    CENTENNIAL. 


DR.  JOSEPH    PERRY 

Was  the  leading  physician  of  Woodbury  for  more  than  forty 
years.  He  was  prominent  in  civil  affairs;  and  died  in  1793,  at 
the  age  of  66  years. 

CART.  PHILIP  NICHOLS, 

Of  Stratford,  was  born  in  1726.  He  was  a  prominent  mer- 
chant and  ship  owner,  and  died  in  1807. 

DR.   SALLU    PELL 

Was  the  leading  physician  of  Danbury,  and  in  1783  was  the 
Representative  from  that  township  to  the  General  Assembly. 

JULIUS    DEMING, 

Of  Litchfield,  was  an  eminent  merchant,  and  said  to  have  been 
the  only  country  merchant  who  imported  goods  directly  from 
London.  He  represented  Litchfield  several  times  in  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly;  was  born  in  Lyme,  in  1755,  and  died  in  Litch- 
field^n  1838. 

WILLIAM:  w.  PARSONS 

Was  Sheriff  of  Middlesex  county. 

CAPT.   ASA    WORTHINGTOX 

Was  a  Deputy  Sheriff  in  New  London  county,  in  1789,  and 
had  been  Selectman  of  Montville. 

CAPT.  ELIJAH  BIXGHAM 

Was  also  Deputy  Sheriff  of  New  London  county,  and  later,  the 
keeper  of  the  Union  Coffee  House  at  New  London ;  where  he 
died  in  1798  of  yellow  fever,  then  epidemic  at  that  place. 

JONAS  PRENTICE 

Was  Deputy  Sheriff  for  New  Haven  county. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  101 


AMERICAN  UNION  LODOE. 

It  is  worthy  of  note,  that  of  the  ten  original  members  of 
American  Union  Lodge  (a  traveling  lodge  located  with  the 
army  of  the  revolution),  a  majority  were  from  Connecticut. 

KNSIQN  JONATHAN  HEART 

(Or  Hart),  Secretary  of  this  lodge,  was  born  in  Kensington, 
Conn.,  in  1748,  and  was  a  member  of  the  ancient  Hart  family 
of  Farmington.  He  was  a  graduate  at  Yale  College,  was  in 
business  in  Farmington  when  the  war  began,  and  enlisted  as  a 
private  soldier  in  the  First  Connecticut  Regiment.  In  1785  he 
was  commissioned  as  Captain  in  the  First  United  States  In- 
fantry. In  1791,  as  Major  he  held  command  in  General  St. 
Clair's  expedition  against  the  Miami  Indians,  and  in  that  cam- 
paign he  lost  his  life  November  4,  1791. 

CAPT.  JOSEPH  HOYT. 

Captain  Joseph  Hoyt,  of  Stamford,  became  Lieutenant 
Colonel  of  the  Eighth  Regiment  of  the  Connecticut  line  of  the 
revolutionary  army. 

CA:PT.  WILLIAM  HOYT, 

Of  New  London,  was  born  in  1742,  and  was  a  graduate  of  Yale 
College.  In  the  revolution  he  was  Captain  of  a  company  of 
Independent  Marines ;  commanded  the  Privateer  Harrison,  and 
for  a  time  was  in  command  of  the  Colony's  Man-of-war,  Oliver 
Cromwell. 

COL.    SAMUEL    HOLDEN    PARSONS, 

Of  Middletown,  became  a  Major  General  in  the  American 
army,  and  was  a  graduate  of  Yale  College.  Of  his  career  in 
the  war,  it  is  unnecessary  to  speak.  He  perished  by  drowning, 
in  the  Big  Beaver  River,  in  Ohio,  in  1789. 


102  THE    CENTENNIAL. 


We  find,  that  of  the  ten  original  members  of  American 
Union  Lodge,  seven  were  Connecticut  army  officers,  and  three 
were  graduates  of  Yale  College,  which,  with  other  items  of  per- 
sonal history,  are  important  as  historical  facts,  in  this  era  of 
centennial  anniversaries.  They  also  reveal  the  character  of 
those  sturdy,  patriotic  sons  of  Connecticut,  whose  guiding 
hands  and  superior  intelligence,  laid  the  foundation  of  the 
order  in  this  jurisdiction  with  the  enduring  cement  of  law  and 
good  government,  tempered  with  loyalty  and  patriotism. 

EARLY    LODQES    CHARTERED. 

The  first  lodge  chartered  by  the  Grand  Lodge,  was 
Moriah,  No.  15,  October  15,  1790,  and  located  at  VVindham.  Its 
first  charter  has  been  lost,  and  the  lodge  is  now  working  under 
a  charter  signed  by  brother  David  Clark,  May  11,  1854.  The 
first  one  undoubtedly  bore  the  signature  of  Pierpont  Edwards. 
From  this  time  there  is  no  record  of  any  lodges  chartered, 
until  the  half-yearly  communication  held  May  18,  1796,  when 
charters  were  ordered  for  Aurora  Lodge,  No.  35,  located  at 
Harwinton ;  St.  Mark's  Lodge,  No.  36,  located  at  Turkey 
Hills,  and  Western  Star  Lodge,  No.  37,  located  at  Norfolk, 
although  nineteen  lodges  had  been  chartered  during  this  in- 
terim, as  follows : 

Temple  Lodge,  No.  16,  Cheshire;  charter  dated  Novem- 
ber 10,  1790.  Pierpont  Edwards,  Grand  Master. 

Federal  Lodge,  No.  17,  Watertown ;  charter  dated  Decem- 
ber 6,  1790.  Pierpont  Edwards,  Grand  Master. 

Hiram  Lodge,  No.  18,  Newtown ;  charter  dated  January 
14,  1791.  Pierpont  Edwards,  Grand  Master. 

Washington  Lodge,  No.  19,  Huntington;  charter  dated 
January  12,  1791.  Pierpont  Edwards,  Grand  Master. 

Berlin  Lodge,  No.  20,  Berlin;  now  Harmony,  No.  20; 
charter  dated  October  13,  1791.  William  Judd,  Grand  Master. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  103 


St.  Peter's  Lodge,  No.  21,  New  Milford;  original  charter 
lost  or  destroyed  ;  present  charter  dated  May  28,  1864.  David 
E.  Bostwick,  Grand  Master. 

Hart's  Lodge,  No.  22,  Woodbridge  ;  charter  dated  October 
18,  1792.  William  Judd,  Grand  Master. 

St.  James'  Lodge,  No.  23,  Preston ;  charter  dated  May  18, 
1793.  William  Judd,  Grand  Master. 

Uriel  Lodge,  No.  24,  Tolland ;  charter  dated  May  18, 
1793.  William  Judd,  Grand  Master. 

Columbia  Lodge,  No.  25,  Stepney;  charter  dated  May  18, 
1793.  William  Judd,  Grand  Master. 

Columbia  Lodge,  No.  26,  East  Haddam ;  charter  dated 
October  17,  1793.  William  Judd,  Grand  Master. 

Rising  Sun  Lodge,  No.  27,  Washington;  original  charter 
lost  or  destroyed ;  present  one  dated  May  29,  1865.  E.  S. 
Quintard,  Grand  Master. 

Morning  Star  Lodge,  No.  28,  East  Windsor;  charter  dated 
May  15,  1794.  William  Judd,  Grand-Master. 

Village  Lodge,  No.  29,  West  Society  of  Simsbury ;  charter 
dated  May  15,  1794.  William  Judd,  Grand  Master. 

Day  Spring  Lodge,  No.  30,  Hamden  ;  charter  dated  May 
15,  1794.  William  Judd,  Grand  Master. 

Union  Lodge,  No.  31,  New  London;  charter  dated  May 
20,  1795.  William  Judd,  Grand  Master. 

These  lodges  are  all  in  existence  to-day,  except  two ; 
Hart's  Lodge,  No.  22,  of  Woodbridge,  probably  named  after 
Jonathan  Hart,  of  whom  we  have  spoken ;  and  St.  James 
Lodge,  No.  23,  of  Preston.  The  former  has  been  replaced  by 
Trumbull  Lodge,  No.  22,  of  New  Haven ;  and  the  latter,  by  a 
new  lodge  of  the  same  name,  in  Norwich. 

Berlin  Lodge,  No.  20,  is  the  present  Harmony  Lodge,  No. 
20,  of  New  Britain,  and  is  working  under  its  original  charter. 


104  THE    CENTENNIAL. 


From  1797  to  1800,  it  was  presided  over  by  Dr.  James  G.  Per- 
cival,  an  eminent  physician  in  Berlin,  who  was  the  father,  of 
James  G.  Percival,  Jr.,  the  poet,  linguist  and  geologist,  of  whom 
we  will  briefly  speak.  He  was  born  in  the  parish  of  Kensing- 
ton, town  of  Berlin,  September  15,  1795,  and  died  at  Hazel 
Green,  Wisconsin,  May  22,  1856.  He  was  made  a  mason  in 
Hiram  Lodge,  No.  1,  of  New  Haven,  in  1822,  and  contributed 
several  poems  to  the  masonic  literature,  among  which  is  the 
"  Master's  Song,"  as  follows  : 

MASTER'S    SOXG. 

BY  J.   G.   P. 


In  harmony  the  social  baud 

Are  met  around  the  fount  of  light, 
To  spend  beneath  the  Master's  hand, 

In  decent  joy,  the  festive  night ; 
Let  each,  in  truth  and  honor  bright, 

Be  present  at  the  secret  hall, 
And  on  his  heart  in  silence  write 

The  sacred  word  that  binds  us  all. 

Beneath  the  blue  and  starry  zone 

Whose  arch,  high-swelling,  girds  the  pole, 
The  Master,  on  his  Orient  throne, 

Unfolds  to  view  the  mystic  roll; 
At  once  the  pure,  fraternal  soul 

Bends  to  the  sign,  with  sacred  awe, 
And  reads  upon  the  lettered  scroll, 

In  words  of  light,  the  unuttered  law. 

Let  us  our  hearts  and  hands  entwine, 

And  form  one  perfect  wreath  of  love; 
Then,  kneeling  at  the  voice  divine, 

That  spake  to  mortals  from  above, 
Put  on  the  meekness  of  the  dove, 

And  the  white  robes  of  charity, 
And,  in  unerring  wisdom,  prove 

Our  brethren  with  the  single  eye. 


THE    CENTENNIAL.  105 


Be  then  no  darkling  scowl  of  hate 

Upon  the  calm,  unruffled  brow; 
But  each,  in  innocence  elate, 

To  virtue's  brightness  only  bow. 
Blest  guardian  of  all  pleasure !   Thou 

Be  ever  at  our  Master's  side, 
And  mark  with  radiant  finger,  how 

Thy  words  can  be  our  only  guide. 

By  Thee  conducted,  we  ascend 

The  steps  that  lead  above  to  Heaven; 
And  where  the  morning  arches  end, 

To  each  the  sign  of  worth  is  given; 
Then,  mantled  by  the  shades  of  even, 

We  meet  beneath  the  unclouded  sky, 
And  bind  the  links  no  power  hath  riven, 

In  which  we  swear  to  live  and  die. 

Let  us  these  favored  hours  employ, 

These  moments  of  the  social  night, 
To  sing  the  silver  song  of  joy, 

And  make  the  chain  of  union  bright; 
So  may  we  ever  here  unite 

To  spend  the  hours  in  mercy  given; 
Led  by  the  tokens  which  invite 

Alone  to  happiness  and  Heaven. 

He  also  wrote  the  familiar  "  Royal  Arch  Song,"  used  in 
Chapters  at  the  present  time,  beginning : 

"Joy!   the  sacred  law  is  found. 

Now  the  temple  stands  complete, 
Gladly  let  us  gather  round 
Where  the  Pontiff  holds  his  seat." 

Also,  a  "  Select  Master's  Song,"  which  we  reproduce: 
SELECT  MASTER'S  SONG. 


The  vault  arches  o'er  us,  and  night  broods  around, 
Not  a  whisper  is  heard  through  the  depths  of  the  cave ; 

All  hearts,  in  the  silence  of  secrecy  bound, 
Are  reading  the  words  the  Great  Architect  gave. 


106  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


United  they  listen  the  voice  of  the  law, 
The  guide  of  our  reason,  the  spur  of  the  soul, 

And  they  feel  in  the  sounds  a  sweet  mystery  draw 
Their  hearts  to  the  Spirit  who  uttered  the  whole. 

Now  the  work  is  completed,  and  all  are  combined, 

To  close  in  the  secret  and  deep-hidden  cell 
The  words  which  are  treasured  as  light  to  the  mind. 

Like  the  waters  of  truth  in  their  close-covered  well : 
Here  safely  secured,  they  shall  live  in  the  rock, 

When  the  storm  rages  o'er  it  and  levels  the  wall, 
And  still,  in  the  rage  of  the  conqueror's  shock, 

The  arches  shall  never  be  shaken  nor  fall. 

We  have  laid  in  its  secret  and  silent  retreat 

The  treasure  that  beings  shall  exult  to  behold ; 
And  the  pilgrim  shall  hasten  \\itli  ardor  to  meet 

This  gift  valued  higher  than  jewels  or  gold : 
Ages  roll  on  their  way,  and  no  foot  shall  be  heard 

In  search  of  this  scroll  to  enlighten  the  world; 
But  a  hand  shall  be  found  to  recover  the  word, 

And  then  shall  the  standard  of  truth  be  unfurled. 

We  are  seated  in  silence,  and  nothing  can  find 

Its  way  to  our  distant  and  mystical  cave ; 
And  the  watchman  who  guards  not,  our  mandate  shall  bind 

In  the  deeper  concealment  of  death  and  the  grave: 
Be  faithful  and  true,  ever  firm  to  your  trust. 

Is  the  lesson  we  give  in  the  council  of  light, 
And  the  herald  shall  summon  you  forth  from  the  dust, 

Above  in  the  meeting  of  souls  to  unite. 

He  was  best  known  by  his  smaller  pieces,  like  "Coral 
Grove,"  "Seneca  Lake,"  "The  American  Eagle,"  and  his  ode 
to  New  England,  "  Hail  to  the  land  whereon  we  stand,"  and 
the  fiery  patriotic  odes  by  which  he  sought  to  encourage  the 
oppressed  of  all  lands.  His  great  work  was  "  Prometheus,"  of 
which  Edward  Everett  said  in  the  North  American  Review, 
"not  a  few  of  these  verses  have  all  the  dark  sententiousness  of 
Byron,  clothed  in  an  uncommonly  easy  versification,"  and 
which  evoked  from  J.  G.  Whittier,  the  exclamation,  "  God  pity 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  107 


the  man  who  does  not  love  the  poetry  of  James  G.  Percival." 
As  a  geologist,  he  had  no  superior  in  America  or  Europe, 
and  was  the  first  to  correctly  interpret  the  trap  formation  of 
Connecticut.  At  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  engaged  in  a 
geological  survey  of  Wisconsin,  and  we  cannot  forbear  quoting 
two  stanzas  from  a  beautiful  poem  which  appeared  soon  after: 

"Long  as  the  murmuring  streams  shall  flow, 

In  liquid  music  to  the  sea, 
Thy  spotless  name,  dear  bard  shall  glow, 
In  yon  bright  temple  of  the  free. 

Long  as  the  dark  green  pines  shall  wave, 

O'er  breezy  plain  or  towering  steep, 
The  pilgrim  oft  shall  seek  thy  grave, 

And  o'er  the  shrine  of  genius  weep.'' 

The  first  Grand  Chaplain  was  appointed  in  1797.  He  was 
the  Rev.  Brother  Ashbel  Baldwin,  a  member  of  Hiram  Lodge, 
No.  1,  and  at  the  next  communication  delivered  a  sermon  to 
the  Grand  Lodge  in  the  old  brick  meeting  house.  "He  was  the 
first  Master  of  St.  Paul's  Lodge,  No.  11,  of  Litchfield,  and  the 
first  clergyman  who  had  sufficient  courage  to  display  himself 
as  closely  identified  with  the  craft. 


STEPHEN    TITUS 

Was  elected  Grand  Master  from  the  floor  in  1798,  which  office 
he  held  for  eighteen  consecutive  years.  He  was  serving  as 
Master  of  St.  John's  Lodge,  No.  2,  of  Middletown,  at  the  time 
of  his  election.  He  was  an  eminent  lawyer  and  jurist;  elected 
Judge  of  the  Superior  Court  in  1814,  and  held  the  office  of 
Chief  Justice  from  1819  to  1833. 

For  the  first  eleven  years  the  growth  and  popularity  of 
the  order  was  remarkable,  and  we  find  at  the  end  of  that  time 
forty-four  lodges,  and  all  represented  at  the  October  session 
held  in  1800.  From  the  best  sources  of  information  at  our 


108  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


command,  the  number  of  masons  is  estimated  to  have  been 
about  three  thousand. 

About  this  time  spurious  and  clandestine  lodges  were 
established  by  one  Joash  Hall,  an  arch  deceiver  and  imposter. 
One  was  located  in  Middletown,  one  in  New  London,  and  one 
in  Wallingford ;  but  they  soon  died  out. 

In  1802  the  question  of  establishing  a  Supreme  Grand 
Lodge  for  the  United  States  was  agitated,  and  Connecticut  was 
invited  to  send  delegates  to  a  masonic  convention  in  Washing- 
ton, for  that  purpose.  The  Grand  Lodge  decided  that  such  a 
measure  would  not  conduce  to  the  interest  of  freemasonry,  and 
that  any  concurrence  in  the  proposition  was  inexpedient. 

In  1803  two  charters  were  issued  for  lodges  in  Ohio,  most 
of  the  petitioners  having  been  made  masons  in  this  jurisdiction 
and  afterward  removed  to  the  Western  Reserve,  or  New  Con- 
necticut. One  was  located  at  Warren,  Trumbull  County,  and 
designated  "Erie  Lodge,  No.  47,"  of  which,  brother  Tyrhand 
Kirtland  was  the  first  master.  The  other  was  located  at  Worth- 
ington,  and  known  as  New  England  Lodge,  No.  48,  and  Rev. 
Brother  James  Kilbourn  was  the  first  master. 

These  two  lodges  (with  American  Union,  the  army  lodge, 
to  which  we  have  alluded)  assisted  in  the  organization  of  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  Ohio,  in  1808,  and  are  still  in  existence. 

American  Union  Lodge  is  No.  1,  and  is  located  at  Mari- 
etta, and  within  a  few  years  obtained  the  original  records  of  the 
lodge  while  located  with  the  army  of  the  revolution.  Erie 
Lodge,  No.  47,  is  now  the  "Old  Erie,  No.  3,"  and  New  Eng- 
land, No.  48,  is  the  New  England,  No.  4,  of  Ohio. 

In  1807  another  effect  was  made  to  establish  a  Supreme 
Grand  Lodge,  the  jurisdictions  most  active  in  the  enterprise 
being  Virginia  and  Pennsylvania.  The  proposition  was  not 
concurred  in  by  this  grand  body. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  109 


From  1800  to  1810,  the  growth  was  slow,  and  but  few 
lodges  were  chartered,  though  many  petitions  were  rejected, 
and  at  the  close  of  this  decade  we  find  fifty  lodges  with  an  esti- 
mated membership  of  about  4,000. 

In  1816,  Solomon  Cowles  was  elected  Grand  Master,  suc- 
ceeding Stephen  Titus  Hosmer,  who  declined  further  appoint- 
ment to  office.  Brother  Cowles  served  two  years,  and  was 
succeeded  by  His  Excellency  Oliver  Wolcott,  who  the  same 
year  had  been  elected  Governor  of  Connecticut.  He  had  pre- 
viously served  as  Commissioner  of  Indian  affairs  in  1775 ;  was 
a  member  of  the  Continental  Congress  in  1776,  and  one  of  the 
signers  of  the  Declaration  of  American  Independence. 

At  this  communication  brother  Jeremy  L.  Cross  was  ap- 
pointed Grand  Lecturer,  to  instruct  the  lodges  in  a  correct  and 
uniform  method  of  work.  It  was  during  this  year  that  brother 
Cross  instituted  Councils  of  the  Cryptic  Rite  in  this  jurisdiction,, 
the  first  being  Wolcott,  No.  1,  in  Hartford,  February  7th,  fol- 
lowed by  ten  or  twelve  others,  all  within  the  space  of  a  few 
months.  His  name  is  a  household  word  among  the  craft,  being 
the  author  of  the  masonic  chart  or  hieroglyphic  monitor,  which 
is  extensively  known. 

In  1819,  the  half  yearly  communications  were  abandoned, 
and  annual  communications  only  provided  for,  held  alternately 
in  Hartford  and  New  Haven.  During  this  decade  ending  with 
1820,  nine  lodges  were  chartered,  making  the  total  number 
fifty-nine,  with  an  estimated  membership  of  about  4,700. 

In  1821,  brother  Lyman  Law,  of  New  London,  was  elected 
Grand  Master,  and  at  this  session  a  committee  was  appointed 
to  petition  the  General  Assembly  for  an  act  of  incorporation, 
which  was  granted  the  same  year.  Brother  Lyman  Law  was 
the  son  of  the  distinguished  Richard  Law,  of  New  London, 
who  was  a  prominent  lawyer  and  statesman,  and  for  twenty 


110  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


years  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court,  under  Washington.  Ly- 
man  Law  was  born  in  New  London,  in  1770,  and  was  gradu- 
ated at  Yale  College.  In  1791  he  adopted  the  profession  of 
law,  and  became  an  eminent  jurist.  He  was  Speaker  of  the 
Connecticut  House  of  Representatives,  and  from  1811  to  1817 
was  a  representative  to  Congress,  of  the  Federalist  party.  He 
died  in  1842.  He  was  one  of  the  early  members  of  Washington 
Commandery,  No.  1,  Knights  Templars,  having  been  created  at 
Colchester,  June  9,  1801,  when  the  commandery  was  perma- 
nently organized  by  charter  from  London,  England. 

In  1822  the  consideration  of  sundry  petitions  from  the 
various  Grand  Lodges  in  the  United  States,  for  the  purpose  of 
organizing  a  Supreme  Grand  Lodge,  was  favorably  received, 
and  it  was  voted  to  send  delegates  to  Washington,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  co-operating  in  framing  a  constitution.  The  Grand 
Lodge  proceedings  of  this  year  contain,  for  the  first  time,  a 
record  of  initiations  and  affiliations. 

In  1823,  Ralph  I.  Ingersoll,  of  New  Haven,  was  elected 
Grand  Master.  During  the  second  year  of  his  administration 
the  expediency  of  dividing  the  State  into  masonic  districts,  and 
appointing  District  Deputies,  was  considered  and  rejected. 

In  1825  Elizur  Goodrich  was  elected  Grand  Master,  and 
with  this  year  begins  the  practice  of  devoting  two  days  to  the 
annual  sessions. 

In  1826  the  Grand  Lodge  held  its  annual  session  in  the 
Tontine  building,  in  this  city,  for  the  first  time ;  and  up  to  this 
year  the  New  Haven  sessions  had  been  held  in  the  house  of 
brother  Amos  Doolittle,  where  the  Grand  Lodge  was  first 
organized.  In  conjunction  with  other  Grand  jurisdictions,  the 
Grand  Lodge,  at  this  communication,  appropiated  $500  for  the 
erection  of  a  monument  to  General  George  Washington. 

About  this  time  the  anti-masonic  excitement  broke  out, 
and  the  strength  and  influence  of  the  craft  began  to  wane. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  Ill 


Lodges  grew  weak  and  failed  to  make  returns,  and  the  penalty 
for  non-compliance  with  Grand  Lodge  regulations  were,  after 
deliberate  consideration,  inflicted,  and  charters  were  revoked 
or  surrendered  at  every  session.  Matters  continued  to  grow 
from  bad  to  worse  with  each  succeediag  year,  on  account  of 
the  prevailing  excitement  and  panic,  and  returns  were  so  few 
and  meagre,  that  to  hide  the  true  condition  of  the  craft  from 
public  scrutiny,  the  returns  were  ordered  not  to  be  published 
with  the  proceedings.  The  lodges  became  impoverished,  and 
requests  for  loans  from  the  Grand  Lodge,  to  tide  them  over 
the  relentless  storm,  were  frequently  asked,  and  in  some  in- 
stances granted.  All  pleadings  with  the  lodges  to  comply 
with  Grand  Lodge  regulations  were  fruitless,  for  they  were 
absolutely  helpless,  and  but  few  stood  the  unrelenting  storm 
of  persecution  that  swept  over  the  country.  The  situation 
became  so  disastrous  that  appeals  were  prepared  and  sub- 
mitted to  the  people,  bearing  the  signatures  of  the  purest 
patriots,  the  most  enlightened  statesmen  and  exemplary  Chris- 
tians, of  which  New  England  could  boast,  and  written  with 
such  strength  of  argument,  as  to  commend  them  to  the  recog- 
nition of  any  mind  not  blinded  by  bigotry  and  superstition, 
contending  most  earnestly  for  those  principles  of  the  craft  which 
were  approved  by  Franklin,  taught  by  Warren,  and  which  our 
Washington  loved.  Our  leaders  were  determined  to  remain 
firm,  confiding  in  God  and  the  Tightness  of  their  cause  for  a 
final  triumph,  for: 

"Truth  crushed  to  earth  will  rise  again, 
The  eternal  years  of  God's  are  hers, 
While  error  wounded  writhes  in  pain, 
And  dies  amid  her  worshipers." 

So  relentless  was  this  unholy  tirade,  and  the  influence  it 
exerted  on  the  public  mind  so  great,  that  at  the  annual  session 
held  in  1831,  no  roll  of  representatives  was  recorded,  because 


112  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


they  were  so  few,  and  every  officer  of  the  Grand  Lodge  except 
the  Grand  Treasurer,  declined  further  service.  Thomas  Hub- 
bard  was  elected  Grand  Master,  and  new  officers  throughout, 
except  the  Grand  Treasurer ;  and  at  the  next  communication 
the  Grand  Master  and  Grand  Treasurer  were  the  only  ones 
who  reported  for  duty.  At  this  communication,  in  1832,  the 
famous  declaration  of  masonic  principles  was  adopted  and 
published,  not  only  in  masonic  proceedings,  but  also  in  the 
public  newspapers  of  the  day,  and  spread  broadcast  over  the 
land,  bearing  the  signatures  of  many  of  the  best  citizens  of 
Connecticut.  This  declaration  tended,  in  a  measure,  to  allay 
the  anti-masonic  feeling  which  existed,  but  did  not  heal  the 
wound  inflicted,  for  the  craft  did  not  experience  any  material 
benefit  until  1845,  when  a  slight  improvement  is  manifest. 

In  1841  but  twenty-five  lodges  were  represented,  and  only 
thirty-one  made  returns,  and  at  every  session  this  delinquency 
was  the  source  of  constant  vexation,  resulting  in  the  revocation 
and  surrender  of  many  charters. 

After  1845  the  improvement  was  more  marked,  and  con- 
tinued with  each  succeeding  year  until  1850,  when  the  lodges 
became  exceedingly  prosperous. 

CONNECTICUT  LODQE,  NO.  76. 

January  30,  1849,  a  special  communication  was  held  in 
New  Haven,  to  consider  the  petition  of  several  brethren,  mem- 
bers of  Hiram  Lodge,  praying  for  a  charter  to  establish  a 
lodge  in  the  territory  of  California,  where  they  were  about  to 
emigrate.  A  charter  was  granted,  and  designated  Connecticut 
Lodge,  No.  76,  with  Caleb  Fenner,  Master;  James  W.  Good- 
rich, Senior  Warden;  Elizur  Hubbell,  Junior  Warden,  and 
located  in  Sacramento.  This  lodge  soon  after  became  one  of 
the  number  that  organized  the  Grand  Lodge  of  California. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  113 


Four  chartered  lodges  were  represented  at  this  organiza- 
tion, one  from  New  Jersey,  one  from  Missouri,  one  from  the 
District  of  Columbia,  and  Connecticut  Lodge,  No.  76,  the  last 
taking  the  name  of  Tehama  Lodge,  No.  3,  which  is  still  located 
at  Sacramento  City. 

In  1852  the  centennial  anniversary  of  the  initiation  of 
George  Washington  was  observed  with  much  ceremony  and 
enthusiasm,  at  the  Universalist  Church,  in  Hartford.  All  ma- 
sonic bodies  were  represented,  and  an  oration  was  delivered  by 
Rev.  Brother  J.  M.  Willey,  Grand  Chaplain,  who  was  a  fearless 
champion  of  masonry  and  its  principles ;  and  there  are  some 
present  here  to-day  who  can  attest  his  eloquence  as  a  public 
speaker. 

In  1854  the  principal  event  was  the  completion  and  dedi- 
cation of  the  Wooster  Monument,  erected  in  Danbury,  under 
the  administration  of  Grand  Master  David  Clark.  The  record 
bears  unmistakable  testimony  to  the  high  appreciation  held  by 
the  craft  for  that  honorable  hero,  who  for  himself  has  erected  a 
monument  more  enduring  than  the  one  of  freestone  located  on 
"Mount  Moriah,"  in  the  cemetery  at  Danbury.  It  was  a 
worthy  tribute  to  the  worth  of  a  true  patriot,  a  noble  soul,  and 
a  conscientious  Christian  gentleman,  who  in  the  strength  of 
early  manhood  devoted  his  life  to  country  and  in  the  cause  of 
American  liberty,  a  cause  for  which  he  would  most  cheerfully 
risk,  nay,  lay  down  his  life.  Brother  Wooster  was  a  graduate 
of  Yale  College,  the  first  master  of  the  first  lodge  in  Connecti- 
cut, and  became  a  general  in  the  army  of  the  revolution.  As 
colonel  of  a  regiment  he  left  this  city  in  1775,  and  from  the 
same  New  Haven  green  where  the  masonic  procession  was 
formed  this  morning,  where  in  front  of  the  *"  brick  meeting 

*NoTE. — The  Church  on  the  Green,  the  Center  Church,  is  called  "  First  Eccles- 
iastical Society."     This  edifice,  the  meeting  house  of  the  first  church  in  New  Haven, 


114  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


house"  he  stood  at  the  head  of  his  regiment,  with  their  arms 
glistening  and  knapsacks  on  their  backs.  His  desire  was  that 
his  pastor,  the  Rev.  Jonathan  Edwards,  should  pray  with  his 
regiment  before  its  departure,  and  he  sent  for  him  for  that 
purpose ;  and  conducting  his  men  in  military  order  into  that 
same  "meeting  house"  awaiting  the  messenger's  return.  Dr. 
Edwards  was  absent  from  home,  when  Colonel  Wooster  himself 
stepped  in  front  of  the  pulpit,  and  calling  his  regiment  to  order, 
offered  up  a  humble  petition  for  his  beloved  country,  himself 
and  the  men  under  his  command,  and  the  cause  in  which  they 
were  engaged.  His  prayer  was  offered  with  the  fervent  zeal  of 
an  apostle,  and  in  such  touching  language  that  it  drew  tears 
from  many  an  eye,  and  affected  many  a  heart.  With  such  a 
prayer  on  his  lips,  brother  Wooster  entered  the  struggle  for 
American  liberty. 

To  the  interest  and  exertions  of  brother  David  Clark,  is 
due  in  a  great  measure,  the  final  completion  of  this  monument, 
who,  with  his  own  hands,  placed  its  cap-stone  in  position.  A 
monument  erected  to  commemorate  the  virtues  of  one  of  Con- 
necticut's most  distinguished  sons,  a  patriot,  a  soldier,  and  a 
mason,  to  whom  the  craft  in  this  State  can  point  with  pride, 
as  the  founder  of  freemasonry  in  Connecticut. 

From  this  event  a  more  prosperous  era  began  to  dawn 
upon  the  craft,  which  has  since  continued  unabated.  The  an- 

stands  on  the  site  of  the  building  for  public  worship,  erected  by  the  early  settlers  of 

the  Town  in  1668,  as  well  as  upon  that  of  the  more  recent  "brick  meeting  house," 

commenced  about  1753. 

On  the  tablets  in  front  is  inscribed  the  following : 

"Quinnipiack  chosen  for  a  settlement,  A.  D.  1640.'' 

"The  wilderness  and  the  solitary  place  shall  be  glad  for  them." 

"  O  God  of  Hosts  look  down  from  Heaven  and  behold  and  visit  this  vine." 

"A.  D.  1638,  a  company  of  English  Christians,  led  by  John  Davenport  and  The- 

ophilas  Eaton  were  founders  of  this  City.     Here  their  earliest  house  was  built,  A.  D. 

1639." 

"The  first  church  beginning  with  worship  in  the  open  air,  April  15,  (O.  S.) 

1638,"  was  the  beginning  of  New  Haven,  and  was  organized  August  22,  (O.  S._) 

1639.    This  house  was  dedicated  to  the  worship  of  God  in  Christ,  1814,  Dec.  18. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  115 


nual  returns  of  1860  showing  64  lodges  on  the  roll,  with  a 
total  membership  of  5,584.  Lodges,  that  for  many  years  had 
remained  dormant,  began  to  revive,  and  old  charters  were 
restored  and  new  lodges  were  organized  at  every  session. 

In  1861  the  subject  of  granting  authority  to  masons 
among  the  Connecticut  soldiers,  to  hold  lodges  and  confer 
masonic  degrees  in  the  military  camps  of  the  Connecticut  regi- 
ments, was  considered ;  and  the  Grand  Lodge,  being  governed 
more  by  feelings  of  patriotism  than  good  judgment,  enter- 
tained the  proposition,  though  such  lodges  were  restricted  to 
conferring  degrees  on  residents  of  this  State,  in  the  military 
service. 

MILITARY  LODQES. 

On  the  6th  day  of  June,  1861,  a  dispensation  was  granted 
to  twelve  brethren  belonging  to  the  Fourth  Connecticut  Regi- 
ment of  Volunteers,  then  about  to  leave  for  the  seat  of  hostili- 
ties, for  a  lodge  to  be  called  Connecticut  Union  Lodge,  No. 
90,  and  signed  by  Howard  B.  Ensign,  Grand  Master.  No 
returns  were  ever  made  and  no  record  of  its  proceedings  has 
ever  appeared  on  the  minutes  of  this  Grand  Lodge.  The  bible 
used  was  the  gift  of  brother  Charles  Hosmer,  of  St.  John's 
Lodge,  No.  4;  the  square,  compasses,  and  gavel,  from  brother 
W.  J.  Goodsell;  jewels  and  collars,  from  brother  H.  E.  Patten, 
and  record  book  from  L.  E.  Hunt,  all  of  the  same  lodge,  which 
are  now  in  the  archives  of  this  Grand  body. 

The  first  meeting  was  held  at  Camp  Ingalls,  near  Fort 
Richardson,  Va.,  on  Saturday  evening,  January  4,  1862,  when 
the  lodge  was  organized  by  the  appointment  of  officers,  and 
proceeded  to  business.  Three  other  communications  were  held 
during  the  month  of  January,  and  the  names  of  several  candi- 
dates were  proposed  and  accepted,  and  one,  George  Ayer,  was 
initiated  an  Entered  Apprentice  at  the  last  meeting,  which  is 
the  only  masonic  labor  reported. 


116  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


One  other  petition  for  a  dispensation  to  organize  a  mili- 
tary lodge,  to  be  located  with  the  Fifth  Connecticut  Regiment, 
and  known  as  Ensign  Lodge,  No.  91,  was  refused. 

During  these  years  of  civil  war,  which  have  become  so 
notable  in  the  history  of  the  country,  the  craft  became  exceed- 
ingly prosperous,  and  continued  quite  harmonious,  caused  in 
a  great  degree  by  the  unusual  and  unnatural  activity  in  all  de- 
partments of  business,  which  was  stimulated  by  the  immense 
military  preparations,  and  the  profuse  expenditure  of  public 
money.  Hundreds  were  annually  added  to  our  numbers,  which 
continued  for  several  years  after  the  cessation  of  hostilities,  and 
at  the  close  of  this  decade,  ending  with  1870,  we  find  one  hun- 
dred lodges  on  our  roll,  with  a  total  membership  of  13,072,  a 
gain  of  7,218  in  ten  years. 

In  1872,  the  news  of  the  terrible  conflagration  in  Chicago, 
and  disastrous  fires  in  Wisconsin  and  Michigan,  prompted  our 
Grand  Master,  M.  VV.  James  L.  Gould,  to  appeal  to  the  lodges  for 
contributions,  to  relieve  the  sufferings  of  the  brethren  in  these 
ill-fated  localities.  This  was  the  first  occasion  in  our  history 
when  the  united  efforts  of  the  craft  were  needed  to  meet  the 
wants  occasioned  by  a  calamity  of  such  magnitude,  and  the 
offerings  were  abundant  and  speedy.  The  contributions  which 
flowed  in  from  all  sections  of  the  country,  largely  exceeded  the 
necessity,  and  a  liberal  proportion  of  our  donation  was  re- 
turned. This  became  the  nucleus  of  our  "masonic  charity 
foundation,"  which  originated  with  Grand  Master,  Luke  A. 
Lockwood,  during  his  first  year  of  service,  in  1873. 

The    Nlasonic   Charity   Foundation.. 

This  is  the  last  item  of  special  importance  in  our  history 
to  which  we  shall  allude,  the  laying  of  the  corner-stone  of  a 
monument  yet  to  be  reared,  that  will  not  only  perpetuate  the 
memory  of  the  craft  in  this  era,  but  in  the  name  of  blessed 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  •  117 


charity,  without  which  all  professions  are  "  as  sounding  brass 
or  a  tinkling  cymbal,"  will  become  the  "  masonic  crown,"  "  the 
living  arch,"  of  our  noble  craft,  proving  a  blessing  for  many  an 
orphan  and  bereaved  widow,  and  a  home  for  many  an  indigent 
and  helpless  brother.  The  foundation  of  this  "  Temple  of 
Charity  "  has  been  laid  by  the  free-will  offerings  of  the  breth- 
ren, and  work  begun  will  be  completed,  for  it  is  a  precious 
heritage,  a  sacred  trust,  and  it  is  ours. 

The  first  century  of  this  Grand  Lodge  has  ended,  and  like 
a  scroll  has  been  rolled  away  and  numbered  with  the  ages  past, 
and  when  we  glance  over  its  history  as  we  have  done  to-day, 
our  faith  is  abundantly  strengthened  for  its  continued  growth 
and  influence,  during  the  century  that  is  now  open  before  us. 

One  hundred  years  ago  we  started  on  our  journey,  with 
but  a  few  colonies  skirting  the  Atlantic  coast,  like  the  bright 
silver  fringe  that  lines  the  edge  of  a  blackened  cloud,  with 
doubts  and  misgivings  as  to  the  future  then  laying  before  us. 

Our  great  west  was  an  unexplored  wilderness,  the  home 
of  the  wild  beast  and  hostile  savage  tribes,  which  has  yielded 
to  the  advance  of  civilization  and  intelligence ;  and  the  influ- 
ence of  that  sentiment  planted  at  Plymouth  Rock,  has  gone 
out  from  New  England  homes,  and  New  England  hearts, 
scattering  its  seed  from  the  Atlantic  coast  to  the  Pacific,  from 
the  Orient  to  the  Occident,  and  to-day  we  behold  a  mighty 
republic,  stretching  its  protecting  arms  over  this  broad  area, 
with  sixty  millions  of  people,  free  and  independent,  enjoying 
the  fruit  of  that  liberty  established  by  our  forefathers  ;  a  nation 
that  is  the  admiration  of  kingdoms  and  empires,  and  whose 
stars  and  stripes  command  the  respect  of  the  world. 

We  have  seen  our  few  weak  lodges,  started  under  the 
guiding  hand  of  our  intelligent  founders,  grow  in  strength, 
influence  and  numbers,  until  we  can  boast  of  one  hundred  and 


118  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


eleven  lodges  in  this  jurisdiction,  with  a  membership  of  nearly 
sixteen  thousand  brethren,  united  together  by  the  same  frater- 
nal bonds,  and  existing  with  no  sound  of  discord  or  confusion, 
each  one  enabled  to  reach  out  and  clasp  the  hand  of  fellowship 
with  the  other,  and  whisper  in  his  ear  the  motto  that  has  been 
borne  on  our  records  for  the  century,  Sumus  Fratres :  We  are 
brothers. 

We  have  seen  the  foundations  of  our  universal  temple  laid 
deep  and  strong,  with  the  enduring  cement  of  love  and  fellow- 
ship, and  witnessed  its  granite  walls  rise  in  strength  and  beauty, 
keeping  equal  pace  with  the  advance  and  growth  of  our  coun- 
try ;  and  we  stand  amazed  to  witness  the  changes  that  have 
been  wrought;  and,  we  can  almost  hear  the  voices  of  those 
tried  and  trusty  souls,  those  overseers  who  lived  to  cheer  the 
craftsmen  through  all  the  trying  seasons  of  the  century,  like 
voices  from  the  far  distance,  sounding — 

"Uttering  words  like  these,  to  cheer  and  hearteu  : 
Build  well,  my  men,  build  well! 
Build,  that  these  walls  to  future  generations 
Your  strength,  your  skill,  your  faithfulness  may  tell ; 
That  all  may  say.  as  storm  and  centuries  test  them, 
The  men  of  old  'Their  Temple  builded  well."  " 

On  this  Temple,  which  is  being  erected  upon  its  founda- 
tions of  faith,  hope  and  love,  with  the  "  great  light  of  masonry" 
as  the  principle  corner-stone,  we  find  over  600,000  workmen, 
all  classed  and  arranged  as  Masters,  Craftsmen  and  Burden- 
bearers  ;  working  harmoniously  and  silently,  upbuilding  our 
moral  edifice,  a  type  of  that  invisible  and  soul  seated  structure, 
which,  by  the  influence  of  the  Infinite  Wisdom,  the  God  of 
Truth  and  Love,  finds  an  entrance  into  the  heart.  Yea !  more ; 
a  faint  symbol  of  that  Eternal  city  that  lieth  four  square,  whose 
jasper  walls  are  builded  of  perfect  living  Ashlars,  the  New 
Jerusalem,  in  which  is  no  Temple  except  the  LORD  JEHOVAH  ; 
and  the  name  of  that  city  shall  be,  "THE  LORD  IS  THERE." 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  119 


ODE  TO  FREEMASONRY. 


By  Right  Worshipful  Joseph  K.  Wheeler,  Grand  Secretary. 


Upreared  and  stayed  by  faith  and  love, 
Sustained  by  hope  and  charity, 

We  humbly  to  Thy  throne  above, 
Our  praises  bring— O  God,  to  Thee ! 

The  mercies  from  Thy  loving  hand, 
The  blessings  by  the  century  brought, 

Tell  how  this  free,  fraternal  band, 
Has  been  protected,  led  and  taught. 

The  century's  path  by  night  and  day, 
Our  measured  steps  have  safely  trod, 

With  Thy  '•  great  light "  our  joy  and  stay, 
Our  higher  trust  in  Thee,  our  God. 

The  century  ends;     Our  faith  sublime, 
The  future  scans  with  piercing  eyes ; 

Eesplendent  may  our  temple  shine, 
In  strength  its  firm  foundations  rise. 

O !  may  our  tow'ring  fane  ascend, 
Unmarred  by  taint  of  wasting  time, 

And  charity  her  glory  lend, 
To  crown  its  mystic  arch  sublime. 

Great  Lord  of  lords  and  King  of  kings, 
Lead  onward  in  Thy  glorious  might, 

Until  the  lifted  shadow  brings 
Thy  morning  dawn  of  holy  light. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.^ 


Cs^ 


'?0s& 


7^/8'^ 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  121 


JOHN    HENRY    BARLO\V. 


Brother  Barlow  was  born  in  the  town  of  Ridgefield,  Conn., 
November  7,  1832,  where  he  spent  the  days  of  his  childhood 
and  youth  and  received  his  education.  He  traces  his  genealogy 
to  one  of  two  brothers  from  England,  who  settled  in  this  State 
early  in  the  last  century;  one  locating  in  the  town  of  Reading, 
from  whom  the  celebrated  Joel  Barlow,  poet  and  politician, 
descended ;  the  other  in  Fairfield,  to  whom  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  traces  his  ancestry. 

Brother  Barlow  comes  from  good  masonic  stock,  his  father 
and  grandfather  both  being  masons,  and  the  latter,  one  of  the 
signers  of  the  famous  declaration  of  masonic  principles  issued 
in  1832. 

At  the  age  of  seventeen,  brother  Barlow  removed  to  Bir- 
mingham and  engaged  as  clerk  in  a  grocery  and  hardware 
store,  serving  four  years.  In  April,  1854,  he  entered  the 
employ  of  the  Shelton  Company,  manufacturers  of  tacks,  as 
superintendent  of  the  packing  and  shipping  department,  and 
has  remained  in  the  employ  of  this  company  ever  since. 

The  masonic  career  of  brother  Barlow  has  been  active  and 
earnest,  entering  into  the  labors  of  the  craft  with  great  zeal. 
He  was  made  a  mason  in  Hiram  Lodge,  No.  12,  in  1858 ;  being 
initiated  September  28th,  passed  October  5th,  and  raised 
October  12th  of  that  year.  Being  possessed  of  a  wonderful 
memory,  he  very  soon  acquired  a  perfect  knowledge  of  lodge 
ritual,  and  was  made  Senior  Deacon>vof  the  lodge  in  1859,  serv- 
ing three  years ;  from  which  station  he  was  advanced  to  Junior 
Warden,  then  Senior  Warden,  and  elected  Worshipful  Master 
in  1865,  serving  two  years.  He  was  exalted  a  Royal  Arch 
Mason  in  Solomon  Chapter,  No.  3,  April  25,  1859,  and  there 
also  his  capabilities  as  a  workman  were  speedily  recognized, 
and  he  was  put  to  service,  being  elected  High  Priest  of  the 


122  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


Chapter  in  1864,  serving  three  years,  and  again  elected  in 
1870,  serving  two  years.  He  was  received  and  greeted  in 
Union  Council,  No.  27,  January  26,  1860,  and  was  its  Thrice 
Illustrious  Master  from  1864  to  1869;  and  on  the  5th  of 
August,  1863,  he  was  Knighted  in  New  Haven  Commandery, 
No.  2,  Knights  Templars,  of  New  Haven. 

Brother  Barlow's  first  appearance  in  the  Grand  Lodge  was 
in  1863,  since  which  an  annual  communication  has  rarely 
passed  without  his  being  present.  In  1871  he  was  elected 
Grand  Junior  Deacon,  passing  regularly  through  the  chairs, 
when  in  1879  he  was  elected  Deputy  Grand  Master  under 
Israel  M.  Bullock,  on  account  of  whose  death  he  was  called  to 
fill  the  chair  of  Grand  Master  for  the  balance  of  the  term,  and 
elected  Grand  Master  in  1880.  He  has  also  served  in  subordi- 
nate positions  in  the  Grand  Chapter  and  Grand  Council,  and 
regularly  advanced  to  the  highest  station,  having  served  in 
1870  and  1871  as  Grand  High  Priest,  and  M.  P.  Grand  Master 
of  the  Grand  Council  in  1874.  He  has  held  the  office  of  Sec- 
retary of  his  lodge  from  1868  to  the  present  time,  and  has  done 
much  to  place  the  history  of  this  lodge  on  permanent  record ; 
besides  serving  for  nine  years  as  the  head  of  the  Grand  Con- 
vention of  the  order  of  High  Priesthood. 

Brother  Barlow  has  become  widely  known  as  correspond- 
ent of  the  Grand  Chapter  of  Connecticut,  which  office  he  has 
held  since  1879,  and  his  reports  have  won  the  respect  and  con- 
fidence of  the  craft  at.  large,  for  their  terseness  and  practical 
common  sense.  As  a  maVi  he  is  courteous  and  unassuming, 
with  a  quiet  demeanor,  yet  possessing  a  determined  will  which 
combined  with  good  judgment,  helps  to  mould  a  character 
noted  for  its  inflexibility  and  tenacity  of  purpose  in  the  cause 
of  right  and  justice.  With  many  friends  and  rarely  an  enemy, 
he  enjoys  the  confidence  of  the  fraternity  of  Connecticut. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  123 


WILLIAM  WALLACE  LEE. 


Brother  Lee  was  the  second  son  of  Henry  and  Julia  Som- 
ers  Lee,  and  the  fifth  in  descent  from  John  Lee,  one  of  the 
original  eighty-four  proprietors  of  Farmington,  Conn.  He  was 
born  July  20,  1828,  in  the  town  of  Barkhamsted,  lying  along 
the  valley  of  the  Tunxis  river,  where  he  was  reared  on  a  rocky 
farm  and  became  accustomed  to  all  kinds  of  farm  labor,  with 
an  occasional  season  of  recreation  tending  a  country  saw  mill. 

He  received  his  education  at  intervals  in  the  district  school 
of  the  town,  which  were  only  snatches  between  his  duties  on 
the  farm  and  mill,  though  by  patient  study  and  much  reading, 
for  which  he  had  a  natural  taste,  he  has  acquired  a  liberal  share 
of  practical  knowledge.  It  may  be  said  of  him  as  of  many 
others,  that  his  graduation  was  from  the  "Peoples'  College." 
In  matters  of  history  he  has  been  a  zealous  student,  especially 
in  historical  subjects  of  local  importance,  and  has  written  two 
books,  one  the  Barkhamsted  Centennial,  and  the  other,  the  his- 
tory of  the  Lee  family  of  Farmington. 

His  fondness  for  reading  has  been  the  means  of  procuring 
for  himself  a  good  library,  which  has  kept  him  well  informed 
and  in  line  with  the  intellectual  activities  of  the  times. 

When  about  seventeen  years  of  age  he  became  an  appren- 
tice to  Taylor  &  Whiting,  of  Winsted,  where  he  served  four 
years,  learning  the  trade  of  machinist,  which  has  been  his  voca- 
tion through  life,  working  in  Guilford ;  at  Colt's  Manufactory 
in  Hartford ;  also  in  Ansonia,  Bridgeport,  Westville  and  Bir- 
mingham. 

In  the  fall  of  1862  he  located  in  Meriden,  Conn.,  where  he 
has  since  plied  his  calling  in  building  all  classes  of  machinery 
from  a  steam  engine,  down. 


124  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


In  local  politics  brother  Lee  has  been  actively  engaged  for 
many  years,  and  as  a  politician  has  been  somewhat  a  partisan. 
He  was  a  delegate  to  the  first  Republican  Convention  in  Con- 
necticut, and  has  been  honored  with  office  by  his  townsmen, 
having  been  elected  to  the  Legislature  of  Connecticut,  in  1885 
and  1886,  serving  on  the  judiciary  committee.  He  has  also 
served  four  years  as  alderman  of  the  city  government  of  Meri- 
den,  besides  holding  several  other  offices  of  less  importance. 

In  the  cause  of  temperance  he  has  been  an  energetic 
worker,  becoming  a  "Son  of  Temperance"  at  the  age  of  eight- 
een, in  which  body  he  was  elevated  to  the  highest  office  in  the 
State,  and  for  thirty-five  years  a  member  of  the  national  body. 

In  "Odd  Fellowship"  he  has  also  spent  much  of  his  time, 
and  held  various  offices  in  the  gift  of  that  organization,  both 
state  and  local,  and  in  1877  and  1878  was  Grand  Master  of  the 
State  Grand  Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows. 

Tracing  his  ancestry  to  four  private  soldiers  of  the  revolu- 
tion, he  very  naturally  takes  much  interest  in  the  recent  organ- 
ization of  the  "  Sons  of  the  Revolution,"  and  was  one  of  the 
charter  members  of  the  organization  in  Connecticut. 

His  religious  views  are  very  liberal,  "  broadly  Unitarian, 
holding  the  existence  and  providence  of  God,  and  grounding 
his  belief  more  upon  reason  and  the  evidence  afforded  by  the 
constitution  of  things,  rather  than  by  the  testimony  of  Divine 
revelation ;  yet  professing  an  unbounded  faith  in  the  Eternal 
Goodness,  that  He  will  be  around  and  protect  him  in  this  and 
all  other  worlds." 

In  June,  1852,  he  was  made  a  Mason  in  Morning  Star 
Lodge,  No.  47,  at  Seymour,  and  passed  to  the  degree  of  Fel- 
lowcraft  the  same  month,  when  the  question  arose  as  to  lodge 
jurisdiction  over  him,  which  delayed  his  becoming  a  Master 
Mason  until  August  23,  1854.  At  the  organization  of  Olive 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  125 


Branch  Lodge,  No.  84,  of  Westville,  he  became  one  of  its  char- 
ter members,  serving  first  as  Senior  Deacon,  then  as  Junior 
Warden.  On  his  removal  to  Birmingham,  he  affiliated  with 
George  Washington  Lodge,  No.  82,  of  Ansonia,  May  4,  1860. 
He  was  exalted  in  Solomon  Chapter,  No.  3,  then  located  in 
Ansonia,  in  1858,  and  served  two  years  as  Principal  Sojourner. 
He  was  received  and  greeted  in  Harmony  Council,  No.  8,  at 
New  Haven,  in  the  fall  of  1859,  and  became  a  charter  member 
of  Union  Council,  No.  27,  of  Birmingham,  and  was  elected  its 
first  Right  Illustrious  Deputy  Master,  and  then  elected  Thrice 
Illustrious  Master.  After  his  removal  to  Meriden,  he  affiliated 
with  Meridian  Lodge,  No.  77,  Keystone  Chapter,  No.  27,, and 
Hamilton  Council,  No.  22,  and  in  each  was  advanced  to  the 
highest  office,  serving  as  Worshipful  Master  in  1867,  and  High 
Priest  of  the  Chapter,  from  1864  to  1868,  and  again  in  1878 
and  1879,  and  Thrice  Illustrious  Master  of  the  Council.  He 
was  Knighted  in  St.  Elmo  Commandery,  No.  9,  in  1875,  but 
has  manifested  but  little  interest  in  Templar  masonry,  and 
some  years  ago  took  his  dimit  which  he  still  holds. 

His  first  appearance  in  the  Grand  Lodge  was  at  the  annual 
communication  in  1856,  since  when  he  has  missed  only  five 
stated  sessions.  In  1868  and  1869  he  was  Deputy  Lecturer; 
elected  Grand  Junior  Deacon  in  1869;  Grand  Junior  W'arden 
in  1870;  Deputy  Grand  Master  in  1871,  serving  three  years, 
and  Grand  Master  in  1874  and  1875. 

Having  served  in  nearly  all  the  subordinate  offices  in 
the  Grand  Chapter  and  Grand  Council,  he  was  elected  Grand 
High  Priest  in  1872  and  1873,  and  M.  P.  Grand  Master  of  the 
Grand  Council  in  1867 ;  also  serving  three  years  as  President 
of  the  Order  of  High  Priesthood  in  Connecticut;  and  for  the 
past  twelve  years  has  been  President  of  the  Masonic  Veteran 
Association. 


126  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


He  is  best  known  without  the  jurisdiction,  by  his  report  on 
correspondence  for  the  Grand  Council  of  Connecticut,  which 
he  has  written  since  1871,  a  period  of  nineteen  years;  declin- 
ing a  further  appointment. 

In  all  positions  of  honor  or  trust,  he  has  endeavored  to 
render  faithful  and  conscientious  service,  being  governed  by  the 
same  rule  that  has  actuated  him  in  his  daily  vocation,  "that 
what  is  worth  doing,  is  worth  doing  well." 

In  his  outward  demeanor  he  endeavors  to  avoid  censure 
or  reproach ;  advocates  his  opinions  earnestly ;  willingly  sub- 
mitting to  the  will  of  the  majority,  and  aims  to  treat  all  men  as 
he  would  be  treated.  He  thinks  masonry,  like  religion,  is 
something  to  be  lived  in  every  day  life,  and  has  little  regard 
for  its  philosophy  or  symbolism.  Somewhat  eccentric  by 
nature,  he  yet  possesses  a  large  warm  heart  that  reaches  out 
to  the  great  brotherhood  of  humanity. 


DWIGHT  PHELPS. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  127 


D\VIQHX 


The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  Norfolk,  Conn., 
September  3,  1834,  where  the  days  of  his  childhood  were 
spent,  receiving  his  education  at  the  district  school  in  Nor- 
folk. At  the  age  of  twelve  he  spent  one  term  in  the  Norfolk 
Academy,  and  afterwards,  two  winters  at  a  private  boarding 
school  in  West  Avon,  of  which  the  Rev.  Joel  Grant  was 
teacher. 

Having  acquired  an  education,  he  engaged  in  the  study  of 
medicine,  which  naturally  led  him  into  the  pursuit  which  he 
has  followed  during  the  most  of  his  life,  though  entering  into 
the  general  merchandizing  business,  which  was  followed  for  a 
few  years.  The  last  twenty-five  years  of  his  life  have  been 
devoted  to  pharmacy,  in  West  Winsted.  He  became  a  member 
of  the  American  Pharmaceutical  Association  in  1872,  and  was 
one  of  twenty-six  who  organized  the  Pharmaceutical  Associa- 
tion of  Connecticut,  January  28,  1876.  In  1878  he  was  Vice- 
President  of  the  Association,  and  President  in  1882. 

His  masonic  career  began  in  West  Winsted,  his  present 
abode,  where  he  was  made  a  Master  Mason  in  St.  Andrew's 
Lodge,  December  19,  1859,  and  having  been  regularly  pro- 
moted through  various  subordinate  positions,  he  was  elected 
and  served  as  Worshipful  Master  for  1868  and  1869. 

He  was  exalted  to  the  most  sublime  degree  of  Royal 
Arch  Mason,  in  Meridian  Chapter,  No.  15,  November  7,  1861, 
and  became  its  High  Priest  in  1869. 

The  Cryptic  degrees  were  conferred  upon  him  by  Spring- 
field Council,  of  Massachusetts,  in  1864,  but  when  Tyrian 
Council,  No.  31,  of  West  Winsted,  was  organized,  in  1868, 


128  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


he  was  one  of  its  charter  members,  and  served  as  its  Thrice 
Illustrious  Master  in  1870,  continuing  in  this  office  until  1878. 

He  was  Knighted  in  Clark  Commandery,  No.  7,  of  Water- 
bury,  in  1870,  and  in  1882  became  a  member  of  the  bodies  of 
the  A.  A.  S.  R.,  in  Hartford,  and  of  the  Consistory  at  Bridge- 
port the  following  year. 

In  the  Grand  Masonic  bodies  of  Connecticut  he  has  been 
an  active  and  zealous  worker,  having  served  as  Grand  Master 
of  the  Grand  Lodge,  in  1878  ;  Grand  High  Priest  of  the  Grand 
Chapter,  in  1880,  and  M.  P.  Grand  Master  of  the  Grand  Coun- 
cil, in  1877. 

His  masonic  labors,  in  all  departments,  have  been  charac- 
terized for  zeal  and  devotion,  and  actuated  by  a  deep  love  for 
the  institution.  By  nature  he  is  not  aggressive,  yet  his  convic- 
tions when  once  formed,  are  firmly  grounded  on  the  side  of 
right  and  justice.  As  a  craftsman  he  is  enthusiastic,  recogniz- 
ing the  truths  of  freemasonry  that  lie  behind  its  symbols  as  a 
means  to  elevate  its  members  to  a  higher  moral  atmosphere, 
while  his  modest,  unassuming  and  sympathetic  nature,  tend  to 
win  his  companions  and  associates  into  that  closer  bond  of  fra- 
ternal fellowship. 


^CENTENNIAL 


130  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


CENTENNIAL    POEM. 


By  Reverend  John    T.  Pettee. 


To  Him  who  inspired  the  Psalmist's  lay. 
A  thousand  years  are  but  a  day ; 
The  centuries,  gliding  from  his  hand, 
Are  smaller  than  the  grains  of  sand, 
Which  form  the  ocean's  sounding  shore, 
To  Him  who  lives  for  evermore. 

To  mortal  man  how  long  appears 
The  cycle  of  a  hundred  years ; 
How  slow  the  centuries  seem  to  move ; 
As  if  designed  by  Heaven  to  prove 
That  human  life  is  but  a  span — 
That  God  is  God,  and  man  is  man. 

All  who  behold  its  morning  ray 
The  flying  century  bears  away ; 
Of  all  who  see  its  evening  close 
Not  one  on  whom  its  morn  arose ; 
A  fragment's  all  that  man  may  claim 
Of  any  century  for  his  name. 

Roll  back  this  century's  tide  of  years  \ 
And  what  upon  its  morn  appears  ? 

A  band  of  Masons  from  each  town 

Which  had  a  blue  lodge  of  its  own ; 

Each  bringing  in  his  hand  a  stone 

To  lay  the  broad  foundations  down, 

On  which  our  First  Grand  Lodge  should  rise 

Majestic  'neath  our  native  skies. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  131 


But  widely  different  was  the  sight, 
Which,  riding  in  by  morning  light, 
Or  sailing  in  on  yonder  bay, 
They  saw,  a  hundred  years  to-day. 

New  Haven  then,  though  city  grown, 
*Had  scarce  five  thousand  of  its  own  ; 

Its  aged  elms  were  saplings  then, 
fGrowing  in  woods  of  Meriden ; 
Its  lovely  green,  unfenced  and  bare, 
A  graveyard  and  a  market  square. 
Yale's  splendid  piles,  which  now  arise 
With  tower  and  turret  to  the  skies, 
Stand  where  one  humble  college  stood, 
JThen  built  of  brick,  though  first  of  wood. 
**Three  church  bells  sounded  on  the  air, 

To  rouse  to  work,  or  call  to  prayer ; 
JJThree  teachers,  then,  with  rod  and  rule, 
Sufficed  to  keep  the  public  school ; 
While  one  small  room,  nor  that  their  own, 
Held  all  the  Masons  of  the  town. 


*By  the  census  of  1790,  the  population  of  New  Haven  was  4,484;  by  the  cen- 
sus of  1800,  it  was  5,157.  The  first  regular  census  was  taken  in  1787,  three  years 
after  the  city  was  incorporated,  and  the  number  of  inhabitants  then  was  3,540, 
including  176  students. 

fA  Meriden  man  may  be  pardoned  for  claiming  for  his  town  a  little  credit  for 
the  ornamentation  of  the  Elm  City,  especially  as  his  claim  is  supported  by  good  au- 
thority; says  J.  W.  Barber,  in  his  excellent  History  and  Antiquities  of  New  Haven, 
page  38.  "  It  is  well-known  that  the  elm  trees  in  Temple  street  were  planted  prin- 
cipally by  jAnes  Hillhouse,  Esq.  They  were  brought  from  his  farm  in  Meriden. 
The  best  were  selected  for  Temple  street,  and  those  that  remained  were  set  on  each 
side  of  Hillhouse  avenue  years  before  it  was  opened  to  the  public. 

JThe  old  wooden  college  was  built  in  1717  and  1718,  and  was  taken  down  in 
1782.  The  brick  college  took  its  place,  and  was  finished  in  1798.  Our  masonic 
fathers  thought  it  a  noble  structure. 

**One  from  the  "New  Brick  Meeting  House" — now  the  Center;  one  from  the 
"  Blue  Meeting  House  "  (so  called  because  it  was  painted  a  dull  lead  color), — which 
stood  on  the  corner  of  Elm  and  Church  streets;  and  one  from  the  "First  Episcopal 
Church  " — now  Trinity,  which  were  rung  in  turn  for  the  convenience  or  annoyance 
of  the  citizens;  the  bell  of  the  Blue  Meeting  House,  at  6  a.  m.,  in  summer,  and  7 


132  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


But  there  were  giants  in  those  days ; 
Masonic  lights  of  brightest  rays ; 
Edwards  was  there,  our  First  Grand  M., 
Pomeroy  and  Shipman,  noble  men. 
Wooster  had  fallen,  but  his  fame 
Lived  in  the  lodge  that  bore  his  name ; 
And  from  that  lodge  came  Worthington, 
And  Bingham,  on  that  summer  morn, 
Wooster  of  Stratford,  Preston,  King, 
Were  in  that  bright  Masonic  ring ; 
Kirby  and  Mix,  and  Park  we  see, 
And  Salisbury's  gift,  proud  Samuel  Lee  ; 
Miller  and  Woodruff,  Phillipps,  down 
With  Parsons,  prompt  from  Middletown  ; 
Wyllys  and  Kirkland,  Austin,  Young, 
Abel — and  Judd  from  Farmington — 
These  twenty- two  the  Grand  Lodge  formed, 
Which  has  this  century  adorned. 

The  twelve  fair  towns  from  which  they  came, 
Not  strangers  to  historic  fame  :  — 
New  Haven,  Hartford,  Middletown  ; 
Woodb'ry  and  Stratford,  Farmington ; 
Fairfield  and  Danb'ry,  Wallingford, 
Colchester,  Litchfield,  Salisb'ry,  heard 
The  roll-call  on  that  summer  morn, 
When  our  Grand  Lodge  to  light  was  born  : — 

Of  towns  or  Masons  we  have  named 
Not  one  whereof  to  be  ashamed. 


a.  m.,  in  winter;  the  bell  of  the  First  Episcopal  Church,  at  12,  noon;  and  the  bell  of 
the  New  Brick  Meeting  House,  at  9  in  the  evening. 

JJIn  putting  the  number  as  high  as  three,  I  don't  know  but  1  overstated  it. 
Cheever,  the  veteran  schoolmaster,  had  been  gone  for  forty  years,  and  Lovell,  the 
Lancasterian,  had  not  yet  appeared  upon  the  scene.  For  two  years  the  interest  of 
the  schoul  fund  had  been  divided  among  the  districts,  and  it  is  charitable  to  sup- 
pose that,  under  its  stimulus,  New  Haven  maintained  three  public  schools. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  133 


And  others  stood,  though  not  our  own, 
As  Masons,  to  the  nation  known ; 
A  Washington  and  Lafayette, 
A  Franklin  and  a  good  Gillette  ; 
Warren,  who  fell  on  Bunker  Hill, 
Putnam  and  Hart  and  Clark  and  Sill ; 
Montgomery  too,  and  Paul  Revere 
On  Masons'  honored  rolls  appear, 
While  Morris,  Randolph,  Sullivan, 
Cast  their  broad  influence  o'er  the  Ian'. 

Such  names  as  these  their  shelter  gave 
To  blue  lodge,  chapter  and  conclave  : — 
Where  Washington  and  Franklin  led 
No  patriot  Mason  feared  to  tread. 

Good  Bishops,  too,  their  influence  gave 
Our  rising  Masonry  to  save ; 
Old  Bishop  Seabury  was  a  host, 
In  fortress  or  on  army  post ; 
Good  Bishop  Jarvis,  when  the  lawn 
His  noble  person  did  adorn, 
Feared  not  to  own  the  mystic  tie 
Or  rear  the  Royal  Arch  on  high  ; 
While  clergy  of  each  Christian  name, 
Of  pulpit  and  historic  fame, 
Found  in  Free  Masonry  a  power 
Supporting  in  the  darkest  hour ; 
Conserving  all  the  Church  holds  dear ; — 
Enough,  at  least,  to  allay  the  fear 
That,  where  Masonic  rites  prevail, 
The  Church  of  Christ  must  surely  fail. 

And  poets,  too,  with  souls  attuned 
To  notes  of  minstrelsy  and  song, 
Have  something  found  in  Masonry 


134  (       THE   CENTENNIAL. 


To  tune  the  soul  of  harmony, 
And  waken  all  the  chords  that  tie 
The  hidden  soul  of  minstrelsy. 

Across  the  sea  sang  Bobby  Burns, — 
His  echo  every  lodge  returns  ; 
At  home  sang  James  G.  Percival, 
Sweetest  of  bards — most  musical 
Of  all  who  swept  the  mystic  lyre, 
And  set  the  Mason's  soul  on  fire. 
He  in  Old  Hiram  saw  the  light, — 
His  sire  in  Berlin  found  his  sight, 
Whom  in  the  East  four  years  we  see 
The  Master  of  Old  Harmony. 
But  James  was  always  master  there,  . 
For  music  was  his  native  sphere ; 
In  Nature's  lodge  he  wrote  and  sung ; 
The  world  upon  his  numbers  hung. 
O,  were  he  with  us  here  to-day 
T'inspire  us  with  his  noble  lay, 
To  take,  within  our  mystic  ring, 
The  place  of  one  not  born  to  sing. 
And  other  bards,  unknown  to  fame, 
Have  shown  the  true  poetic  flame 
In  many  an  ode,  and  many  a  song, 
Which  to  this  century  belong. 

Sheltered  and  shielded  by  such  names, 
Our  Fathers  here  together  came, 
Connecticut's  Grand  Lodge  to  form, 
One  hundred  years  this  very  morn. 
They  laid  its  broad  foundations  deep, 
They  reared  its  pillars  fair  and  strong, 
Then  called  upon  The  Strong  to  keep, 
And  crowned  the  whole  with  prayer  and  song. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  135 


Back  to  their  homes  our  sires  returned, 
And  worked  anew  the  mystic  rite  ; 
With  purest  zeal  each  bosom  burned, 
And  glowed  each  lodge  in  hallowed  light. 

And  then  for  long,  continuous  years, 
In  war  and  peace,  unmoved  by  fears, 
Our  fathers  wrought — a  noble  band, 
And  lodges  rose  on  every  hand. 

Then  days  of  darkness  ;  when  the  foe 

Proudly  proclaimed  our  overthrow ; 

And  press  and  pulpit,  on  each  hand 

Rained  deadly  missiles  on  our  band. 

Low  politicians  see  their  chance 

Their  failing  fortunes  to  advance  : 

And  lie,  insult,  contemn,  assail ; 

And  with  some  weaker  hearts  prevail. 

In  many  a  raid,  and  many  a  rout, 

The  light  of  many  a  lodge  went  out, 

But  the  great  light  of  all  remained — 

The  word  of  God — it  was  not  chained. 

And  while  that  "  First  Great  Light "  shall  glow 

On  Masons'  altars  here  below — 

Though  friends  forsake,  and  foes  assail, 

The  gates  of  Hell  shall  not  prevail. 

As  stands  the  sea-defying  rock 

To  break  the  ocean's  mad'ning  shock, 

While  baffled  waves  their  weakness  own, 

Retire,  and  waste  away  in  foam  ; 

So  Masonry,  majestic  rock, 

Sustains  the  world's  malignant  shock  ; 

Its  maddest  waves  their  weakness  own, 

Retire,  and  waste  away  in  foam, 

While  Masonry,  majestic  power, 

Stands  stronger  than  it  stood  before. 


136  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


The  century's  growth  our  lodges  tell, 
You  know  their  growing  census  well — 
From  nineteen  to  one  hundred  'leven — 
All  praise  ascribe  to  God  in  Heaven  ! 
While  fifteen  thousand  fill  the  seats 
Of  Mason's  in  their  loved  retreats, 
Which  scarce  two  hundred  did  adorn 
When  first  this  century  was  born. 

But  once  in  all  this  hundred  years, 
Has  aught  occurred  to  rouse  our  fears, 
That  this  fair  fane  our  fathers  made, 
Would  ever  in  the  dust  be  laid. 

An  evil  genius  rent  the  fane, 
Good  Masons  viewed  the  rent  with  pain  ; 
When  from  a  tower  a  voice  was  heard, 
And  this  the  all  inspiring  word  : 
"  The  chief  support  of  human  kind 
Is  harmony  in  work  and  mind ; 
All  work  depends  upon  her  powers, 
Especially  this  work  of  ours" 

An  angel  then  from  Heaven  was  sent ; 
He  saw  in  tears  the  awful  rent, 
And  then  with  weeping  pity  cried, 
"  O  Brothers,  cease  your  scorn  and  pride. 
The  mystic  trowel  seize — cement, 
And  close  for  aye,  this  hideous  rent. 

Then  from  each  tower  there  came  a  band, 
The  mystic  trowel  in  their  hand  ; 
And  as  they  worked  they  sweetly  sung, 
Where'er  upon  the  walls  they  hung, 
'  •  The  only  strife  with  us  shall  be 
Who  best  shall  labor,  best  agree. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  137 


And  thus  they  worked,  and  thus  they  sang- 
And  soon  along  the  walls  there  rang, 
And  echoed  from  the  distant  hills, 
A  word  which  every  Mason  thrills  : — 
•'The  rent  is  closed.     Be  God  adored ! 
Old  Hiram  is  at  length  restored'' 

Proud  Alma  Mater  of  us  all ; 
Responsive  now  to  duty's  call, 
She  leads  again  th'  embattled  host, 
She  seeks  again  th'  endangered  post ; 
While  all  the  lodges  gathering  round 
Maintain  each  inch  of  conquered  ground, 
Determined  in  their  hearts  to  make, 
The  century  its  record  break ; 
And  prove  with  hearts  and  souls  athirst, 
The  Second  grander  than  the  First. 


When  that  stupendous  work  was  done, 
The  Temple  of  King  Solomon, 
And  Israel  met,  with  rites  sublime 
To  dedicate  the  sacred  shrine, 
With  upturned  hands  the  monarch  stood, 
And  thus  invoked  the  source  of  good  : — 
[  God  of  our  fathers,  hear  our  prayer ; 
Make  us,  as  them,  Thy  tender  care  ; 
With  us,  as  them,  vouchsafe  to  be, 
While  in  their  steps  we  follow  Thee." 

Behold  that  sovereign  pleading  there  ; 
And  further  hear  his  earnest  prayer  : 
'  O  Thou,  whose  love  all  hearts  inspires, 
Be  Thou  with  us  as  with  our  sires" 


138  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


What  fitter  prayer  for  us  to  pray, 
Who  dedicate  our  shrine  to-day, 
The  Temple  of  a  Hundred  Years, 
To  Him  who  rules  the  rolling  spheres  : 
Whose  power  defends,  whose  love  inspires 
"Be  Thoii  with  us  as  with  our  sires." 


When  Israel  in  the  olden  time, 
Mowed  down  the  proud  Philistine's  line, 
Grateful  their  fathers'  God  they  praised, 
And  high  their  Ebenezer  raised, 
Of  rocks  unhewn  by  human  hands, 
Rough  ashlers  of  the  conquered  land. 

So  we  in  these  Centennial  days, 
Our  grateful  Ebenezer  raise  : — 
Not  ashlers  rough,  nor  finished  stone, — 
But  consecrated  hearts  alone. 

Of  human  shrines  we  make  no  boast ; 

But,  temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 

We  consecrate  our  hearts  to  Him, — 

The  sacred  fires  that  glow  within, 

Our  words,  our  works,  our  love  our  praise, 

The  fittest  stone  that  we  can  raise. 

Stone  of  our  Help,  rest  thou  secure, 
While  sun  and  moon  and  stars  endure  ; 
God  of  our  fathers  be  our  trust ! 
And  when  we  turn  at  last  to  dust, 
By  death  and  danger  unappalled 
From  labor  to  refreshment  called, 
Then  to  our  faith  and  hope  be  given 
The  countless  centuries  of  Heaven. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  141 


JAIV1ES     MCCORMICK. 


Brother  McCormick  was  born  at  Flushing,  Queens  County, 
New  York,  March  29,  1831.  He  traces  his  ancestry  to  Scot- 
land, both  paternal  and  maternal.  His  education  was  acquired 
at  the  common  schools  in  Flushing,  after  which  he  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  cigars,  and  the  cigar  and  tobacco  business 
has  been  his  occupation  ever  since. 

In  January,  1849,  he  removed  to  Connecticut,  locating  for 
a  while  in  Suffield,  then  in  Manchester,  but  for  the  last  twenty- 
nine  years  he  has  been  a  resident  of  Windsor. 

While  living  in  Manchester  he  was  made  a  Mason  in  Man- 
chester Lodge,  No.  73,  but  the  records  of  the  lodge  having  been 
destroyed  the  exact  date  cannot  be  given.  The  Grand  Lodge 
proceedings  in  1854  record  his  name  as  representative  for  Man- 
chester Lodge,  No.  73,  and  he  is  reported  the  same  year  as 
Junior  Deacon  of  the  lodge. 

At  the  annual  communication  of  the  Grand  Lodge  in  1855, 
he  appears  again  as  representative,  and  is  reported  as  Worship- 
ful Master  of  Manchester  Lodge,  No.  73,  which  office  he  held 
for  two  years. 

In  the  blue  lodge,  brother  McCormick  has  been  exceed- 
ingly active,  having  been  almost  continually  in  office  from  the 
time  of  his  admission  into  the  fraternity,  where  his  advice  has 
been  often  sought  and  felt. 

On  his  removal  to  Windsor,  where  he  has  since  resided, 
he  was  instrumental  in  resuscitating  Washington  Lodge,  No. 
70,  the  charter  of  which  had  been  revoked  May  8,  1838.  At 
the  annual  session  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  held  May  9,  1866,  the 
Grand  Master  reported  that  a  petition  for  the  restoration  of  the 
charter  of  Washington  Lodge,  No.  70,  had  been  submitted  to 
him  by  eleven  brethren,  residents  of  Windsor,  but  as  only  three 


142  THE    CENTENNIAL. 


of  the  petitioners  were  originally  members,  he  gave  them  a  dis- 
pensation for  a  new  lodge,  under  which  they  worked  from 
November,  1865.  At  the  annual  session  in  1866,  the  original 
charter  of  Washington  Lodge,  No.  70,  was  restored  to  brother 
James  McCormick  and  fourteen  others,  he  becoming  the  first 
Worshipful  Master,  and  serving  continuously  for  six  years,  and 
in  1880,  again  called  to  the  chair,  serving  four  consecutive 
years,  and.  again  in  1887,  serving  two  years.  While  not  serving 
as  Master,  he  held  the  office  of  Senior  Deacon  much  of  the 
time,  and  has  been  almost  continually  serving  in  some  official 
station. 

Brother  McCormick  was  exalted  a  Royal  Arch  Mason  in 
Pythagoras  Chapter,  No.  17,  June  26,  1863 ;  received  into 
Wolcott  Council,  No.  1,  May  7,  1864,  and  knighted  in  Wash- 
ington Commandery,  No.  1,  June  7,  1864,  all  of  Hartford.  He 
was  also  one  in  the  first  class  of  members  received  into  Charter 
Oak  Lodge  of  Perfection,  July  28,  1864,  of  Hartford. 

At  the  annual  convocation  of  the  Grand  Chapter  held  in 
1866,  a  charter  was  granted  for  a  new  chapter  to  be  located  in 
Suffield,  and  Companion  McCormick  was  made  its  High  Priest, 
serving  two  years,  and  during  the  first  decade  of  its  existence 
he  was  the  life  of  the  chapter — though  lending  his  assistance 
oftentimes  with  much  inconvenience  and  personal  sacrifice. 

He  has  been  specially  devoted  to  the  blue  lodge,  and  to 
its  interests  his  energies  have  been  expended  more  than  in  any 
other  branch  of  the  system. 

He  began  his  official  service  in  the  Grand  Lodge  January 
20,  1876,  being  elected  Grand  Junior  Deacon,  and  was  regu- 
larly advanced,  year  by  year,  until  January  20,  1881,  when  he 
was  elected  Grand  Master,  serving  two  years.  His  administra- 
tion was  very  successful,  and  distinguished  for  wholesome  dis- 
cipline, which  was  exercised  whenever  needed,  regardless  of 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  143 


personal  consequences.  He  has  ability  to  organize,  and  tact  to 
execute,  while  his  firmness  of  character  and  abounding  will 
force,  are  a  source  of  strength  to  him  as  a  commanding  officer. 

At  the  annual  convocation  of  the  Grand  Chapter,  in  May, 
1880,  he  was  elected  Grand  Principal  Sojourner,  and  regularly 
advanced  through  the  several  stations,  until  1885,  when  he  was 
elected  Grand  High  Priest,  and  served  two  years,  where  the 
same  ability  and  conservative  qualities  were  brought  into  service 
as  distinguished  his  administration  in  the  Grand  Lodge. 

As  a  man  he  is  genial  and  social  in  every  department  of 
life  where  he  moves,  carrying  an  inspiration  of  his  presence, 
whether  in  masonry  or  business,  or  at  the  social  board.  Trac- 
ing his  ancestry  to  the  hardy  Scots,  both  on  his  father's  and 
mother's  side,  he  received  from  them  the  priceless  inheritance 
of  good  physical  health  and  courage,  with  which  are  associated 
the  hereditary  qualities  of  persistence  and  integrity,  the  readi- 
ness for  combat,  and  invincible  determination,  with  love  of  lib- 
erty, civil  and  religious,  which  led  them  to  play  so  important  a 
part  in  English  history  for  several  centuries  prior  to  the  acces- 
sion of  Queen  Anne  to  the  throne  of  Great  Britain. 

His  religious  views  are  Episcopalian,  being  a  member  of 
Grace  Church  in  Windsor,  where  he  resides.  In  politics  he  has 
interest  enough  to  vote  or  assist  in  his  party,  but  could  never 
be  prevailed  upon  to  accept  any  office ;  neither  has  he  served 
in  any  military  company,  except  the  old  State  militia,  of  which 
he  was  1st  lieutenant  of  a  company. 

His  record  as  a  man  and  mason  is  a  most  honorable  one, 
and  his  services  in. masonic  bodies  have  been  freely  given.  His 
friendships  are  earnest  and  true,  without  obsequious  flattery  or 
yielding  his  manhood  to  the  authority  of  wealth  or  position, 
and  in  masonic  circles  he  is  highly  respected,  holding  the  un- 
bounded confidence  of  the  fraternity. 


144  THE    CENTENNIAL. 


JAMES    L.  GOULD. 


Hon.  James  Lewis  Gould,  B.  A.,  M.  A.,  was  born  Novem- 
ber 15,  1830,  in  that  part  of  the  old  town  of  Weston,  since 
erected  into  the  town  of  Easton.  His  father,  Bradley  Gould, 
was  born  in  Mill  Plain,  Southport,  in  the  town  of  Fairfield,  and 
his  mother,  Betsey  Burr  Gould,  was  the  third  daughter  of 
Nathan  Gould,  of  Easton. 

His  parents  were  second  cousins,  and  descended  from  the 
same  stock  as  were  General  Gold,  or  Gould,  of  Fairfield,  of  rev- 
olutionary fame ;  Judge  James  Gould,  the  celebrated  jurist,  of 
Litchfield  Hill ;  the  late  N.  H.  Gould,  33d  degree,  of  Provi- 
dence, R.  I.,  who  for  several  years  was  Deputy  for  the  Supreme 
Council  of  the  Ancient  Accepted  Scottish  Rite,  for  the  District 
of  Connecticut  and  Rhode  Island  ;  the  late  Grand  Master  Gould, 
of  Georgia ;  Jay  Gould,  of  New  York,  and  many  other  men  of 
eminence. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  removed  to  Bridgeport,  Conn., 
with  his  parents,  when  about  three  years  of  age,  and  that  city 
has  been  his  home,  with  the  exception  of  two  years,  ever  since.  f 
His  father  was  a  carpenter  and  builder,  and  after  erecting  a 
number  of  buildings  entered  into  the  commercial  business,  and 
brought  to  Bridgeport  the  first  cargo  of  anthracite  coal  ever 
used  there,  and  of  the  fifty  tons  in  the  sloop  load,  more  than 
half  remained  unsold  until  the  following  winter. 

Under  the  careful  teaching  of  his  mother,  young  Gould 
learned  to  read  fluently  before  he  was  four  years  of  age,  and 
first  attended  school  when  about  seven  years  old.  A  few  weeks 
later  he  lost  the  sight  of  his  right  eye,  by  a  blow  from  an  arrow 
discharged  from  a  bow  by  another  boy  at  short  range,  and  this 
accident  was  the  means  of  clouding  to  a  great  extent  his  future 


THE    CENTENNIAL.  145 


life.  On  entering  school  again,  he  made  rapid  progress  in  his 
studies,  generally  standing  at  the  head  of  his  classes,  and  enter- 
ing the  private  schools,  he  continued  his  preparation  for  col- 
lege. When  he  entered  Yale  College  in  1847,  it  was  said  he 
could  repeat  verbatim  the  whole  of  the  first  four  books  of  Vir- 
gil in  the  Latin,  and  translate  it  from  memory.  He  graduated 
B.  A.  in  1851,  and  received  in  1853  his  degree  of  M.  A. 

After  leaving  college  he  entered  the  office  of  the  late  Judge 
E.  S.  Abernethy  as  a  student  at  law,  and  after  a  thorough  and 
brilliant  examination,  was  admitted  to  the  Fairfield  County  Bar 
in  August,  1853.  He  immediately  formed  a  co-partnership 
with  General  W.  H.  Noble,  and  the  first  year  the  firm  was 
retained  in  198  cases  in  the  various  courts. 

Brother  Gould,  hampered  more  or  less  and  impeded  in 
his  studies  by  the  loss  of  his  eye,  and  just  entering  this  most 
remarkable  success  in  law  practice,  was  met  with  a  still  more 
serious  reverse,  by  the  dislocation  and  detachment  of  the  crys- 
talline lens  of  his  remaining  eye,  causing  almost  total  blindness  ; 
a  very  rare  occurrence,  no  instance  of  the  kind  having  been 
reported  in  any  of  the  medical  works,  and  the  most  eminent 
oculists  of  the  day  failed  to  discover  the  real  difficulty.  By 
accident  he  found  that  an  ordinary  cataract  glass  would  restore 
his  vision,  but  his  eye  being  weak,  unfitting  him  for  literary 
work,  he  sold  his  law  practice  and  purchased  a  farm  at  Long 
Hill,  Trumbull,  which  he  managed  for  two  years,  with  fair 
results. 

He  then  sold  and  returned  to  Bridgeport,  again  entering 
the  practice  of  his  profession.  Becoming  somewhat  interested 
in  politics  he  was  elected  Judge  of  Probate,  for  the  District  of 
Bridgeport,  holding  the  office  for  four  years,  and  never  had  a 
judgment  set  aside  on  appeal  to  the  higher  court.  He  was  a 
member  also  of  the  city  council,  always  running  ahead  of  his 

10 


146  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


ticket  whenever  he  allowed  himself  to  be  a  candidate  for  office. 
He  has  also  served  as  recorder  of  the  city  court  of  Bridgeport. 

In  1866  he  purchased  an  interest  in  the  Daily  and  Weekly 
Farmer,  of  Bridgeport,  and  for  the  last  twenty- four  years  has 
been  and  still  is  the  senior  partner  and  managing  editor. 

December  22,  1853,  he  married  the  second  daughter  of 
Hon.  James  Gregory,  of  Marblehead,  Mass.,  and  has  two 
daughters. 

Brother  Gould  was  made  a  Mason  soon  after  attaining  his 
majority,  in  the  year  1851,  in  St.  John's  Lodge,  No.  3,  of  Bridge- 
port. He  shortly  after  received  the  Chapter  and  Council 
degrees  in  Jerusalem  Chapter,  No.  13,  and  Jerusalem  Council, 
No.  16,  and  when  Hamilton  Commandery,  No.  5,  was  instituted, 
he  was  one  of  the  first  candidates  Knighted.  He  has  held 
nearly  every  office  in  each  of  these  bodies,  and  served  them  all 
as  their  presiding  officer. 

He  has  received  all  the  grades  in  the  A.  A.  S.  R.,  in  the 
bodies  located  in  Bridgeport,  while  working  under  the  jurisdic- 
tion of  the  New  York  Supreme  Council,  and  as  a  33d  degree 
mason,  became  an  honorary  member  of  that  body,  which  in 
1867  united  with  the  Boston  Council  and  has  since  constituted 
the  Supreme  Council  of  the  Northern  Masonic  Jurisdiction  of 
the  United  States. 

He  has  been  a  devoted  student  of  the  masonic  institution, 
embracing  in  his  research  its  philosophy  and  symbolism,  and 
has  given  special  attention  to  ritualistic  matter.  He  was  one 
of  the  foremost  champions  in  advocacy  of  the  return  to  the 
present  standard  ritual  of  the  lodge,  or  what  is  known  as  the 
Webb-Wilson  Ritual. 

As  chairman  of  the  committee  on  ritual  in  the  Grand 
Chapter,  he  reported  the  present  standard  work,  which  was 
almost  unanimously  adopted,  and  which  received  the  commen- 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  147 


dation  of  the  leading  ritualists  of  the  country,  and  subsequently 
adopted  by  the  General  Grand  Chapter  of  the  United  States, 
with  but  few  unimportant  differences. 

In  connection  with  the  late  John  Sheville,  Past  Grand  High 
Priest  of  New  Jersey,  he  published  a  manual  of  the  Chapter, 
and  later  he  wrote  a  larger  and  more  pretentious  volume  which 
was  published  as  the  "Guide  to  the  Chapter,"  and  is  now  rec- 
ognized among  the  standard  works  on  freemasonry. 

During  his  incumbency  of  the  office  of  Grand  Master,  he 
exercised  the  almost  obsolete  prerogative  of  making  two  masons 
"  at  sight."  As  the  exercise  of  this  prerogative  excited  consid- 
erable adverse  criticism  from  some  of  the  masonic  writers  in 
different  sections  of  the  country,  he  has  been  heard  to  say  that 
no  act  of  his  public  life  gave  him  so  much  satisfaction  as  that, 
because  this  very  criticism  showed  that  the  time  had  come 
when  this  almost  obsolete  prerogative  should  be  used,  defended 
and  vindicated.  His  action  was  sustained  by  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  Connecticut,  and  the  ablest  and  most  learned  masonic  stu- 
dents endorsed  his  position,  and  conceded  that  the  prerogative 
was  inherent  in  the  office  of  Grand  Master,  and  that  Grand 
Master  Gould's  exercise  of  it  was  surrounded  by  all  the  pre- 
cautions and  safeguards  that  were  necessary  and  proper. 

May  11,  1871,  he  was  elected  Grand  Master,  serving  one 
year;  and  May  7,  1867,  he  was  elected  Grand  High  Priest,  and 
served  two  years.  He  has  also  served  as  M.  P.  Grand  Master 
of  the  Grand  Council  of  Connecticut,  and  General  Grand  Royal 
Arch  Captain  of  the  General  Grand  Chapter  of  the  United 
States. 

Brother  Gould  is  a  great  lover  of  freemasonry,  to  which  he 
has  devoted  so  much  of  his  energy  and  talent.  He  loves  the 
order  in  all  its  extended  branches  for  its  truths,  principles  and 
symbolisms,  as  well  as  the  social  and  fraternal  features  it 


148  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


develops  and  fosters.  His  opinions  are  conservative,  yet  when 
once  formed  are  advocated  with  much  firmness  and  force,  com- 
bined with  good  judgment. 

He  is  a  man  distinguished  for  his  thorough  manliness  and 
dignity  of  character,  with  kindness  of  heart  and  charity  of  con- 
science;  and  his  diligence  as  a  student  of  freemasonry  has 
placed  him  in  rank  with  the  leading  masonic  jurists  and  ritual- 
ists of  the  times. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  149 


AMOS    FMLSBURY. 


The  subject  of  this  sketch  traces  his  ancestry  to  William 
Pilsbury,  who  was  born  in  1615,  and  came  to  this  country  from 
Essex,  England,  and  settled  at  Dorchester,  Mass.,  about  the 
year  1640.  In  1641  he  married  Miss  Dorothy  Crosby,  remain- 
ing in  Dorchester  about  ten  years,  removing  to  Newbury,  Mass., 
in  1651.  He  was  the  father  of  ten  children,  seven  sons  and 
three  daughters,  the  third  child  named  Moses,  who  is  in  the 
direct  line  of  descent  to  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  the  eighth 
generation  from  William.  In  Newbury,  William  Pilsbury  pur- 
chased a  farm,  where  he  lived  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
June  19,  1686,  at  the  age  of  71  years.  He  was  a  man  of  wealth, 
owning  large  tracts  of  land,  and  had  money  to  let;  and  tradi- 
tion says  he  kept  his  money  secreted  under  the  eaves  of  his 
thatched  barn.  From  Moses,  born  in  1648,  the  record  is  traced 
to  Moses,  born  in  1673;  to  Amos,  born  in  1721 ;  to  Eliphalet, 
born  in  1757;  to  Moses,  born  in  1778;  to  John  C.,  born  in 
1802;  to  Amos  Pilsbury,  born  March  17,  1831,  at  Wethers- 
field,  Connecticut. 

John  C.  Pilsbury,  the  father,  was  deputy  warden  of  the 
prison  at  Wethersfield  for  several  years,  born  in  Ipswich,  Mass., 
and  for  the  greater  part  of  his  life  was  connected  in  an  official 
capacity  with  the  prisons  of  New  Hampshire  and  Connecticut. 

Moses,  the  father  of  John  C.,  at  the  second  contest  with 
England,  was  commissioned  a  lieutenant  in  the  United  States 
army,  in  which  capacity  and  as  adjutant  he  served  through  the 
war.  After  the  struggle  ended,  he  was  appointed  by  Governor 
Bell  warden  of  the  state  prison  at  Concord,  New  Hampshire, 
which  position  he  resigned  to  accept  the  office  of  warden  of 


150  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


the  state  prison  at  Wethersfield,  where  he  was  succeeded  by  his 
son  Amos,  who  afterwards  became  distinguished  as  general 
superintendent  of  all  the  prisons  in  the  state  of  New  York. 

His  father,  Eliphalet,  served  in  the  war  of  the  revolution, 
and  fought  in  the  battles  at  Lexington  and  Bunker  Hill. 

The  grand-mother  of  brother  Pilsbury,  Lois  Cleveland, 
was  a  grand-daughter  of  the  Rev.  John  Cleveland,  of  Ipswich, 
Mass.,  who  served  as  chaplain  in  two  campaigns  of  the  French 
war,  and  in  three  campaigns  of  the  revolutionary  struggle. 

When  brother  Pilsbury  was  about  fifteen  years  of  age,  he 
removed  with  his  father  to  Derry,  New  Hampshire,  who  bought 
a  farm  and  subsequently  erected  a  steam  saw  mill,  and  Amos 
was  employed  as  engineer.  While  serving  in  that  capacity,  he 
conceived  the  idea  of  learning  the  machinist's  trade,  and  served 
his  time  at  the  Manchester  Locomotive  Works,  in  Manchester, 
New  Hampshire.  About  1852  he  began  railroad  life  as  a 
machinist  on  the  New  Haven,  Hartford  &  Springfield  Railroad. 
The  next  year  he  went  south  and  remained  about  three  years, 
and  was  there  married  to  Rosa  A.  Coutinho,  of  Petersburg,  Va., 
July  20,  1853.  Returning  north  in  1856,  he  was  employed  on 
the  Hartford,  Providence  &  Fishkill  Railroad  in  the  several 
capacities  of  machinist,  general  foreman  and  master  mechanic, 
until  the  spring  of  1880,  when  he  resigned,  and  was  appointed 
master  mechanic  of  the  Akron,  Cleveland  &  Canton  Railroad, 
of  Ohio.  May  1,  1881,  he  resigned  to  accept  the  position  as 
superintendent  of  rolling  stock  on  the  Eastern  Railroad,  of 
Massachusetts,  remaining  until  December  31,  1884,  when  he 
accepted  the  position  of  general  master  mechanic  on  the  Maine 
Central,  where  he  still  remains,  living  in  Waterville. 

The  celebrated  millers  of  that  name  at  Minneapolis,  Min- 
nesota, trace  their  genealogy  through  the  second  generation  to 
the  original  William  Pilsbury  from  Essex,  England  ;  and  John 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  151 


S.-Pilsbury,  the  junior  member  of  the  firm,  was  elected  Gov- 
ernor of  Minnesota,  serving  six  years,  from  1876  to  1882. 

The  masonic  record  of  brother  Pilsbury  is  located  with  the 
masonic  bodies  at  Hartford,  Connecticut,  where  he  was  made  a 
master  mason  in  St.  John's  Lodge,  No.  4,  March  17,  1858.  On 
becoming  a  member  he  became  intensely  interested  in  masonry, 
and  possessing  a  remarkable  memory,  he  easily  acquired  an 
accurate  knowledge  of  the  ritual.  He  was  soon  appointed  to 
office,  and  regularly  passed  through  the  subordinate  stations 
and  elected  Worshipful  Master,  January  6,  1864,  serving  one 
year.  In  1867,  he  became  a  charter  member  of  La  Fayette 
Lodge,  No.  100,  located  at  Hartford,  and  was  nominated  in  the 
charter  as  the  first  Worshipful  Master,  which  office  he  held  at 
intervals  for  several  years. 

October  1,  1858,  he  was  exalted  a  Royal  Arch  Mason,  in 
Pythagoras  Chapter,  No.  17,  and  after  serving  in  several  sta- 
tions, was  elected  High  Priest,  January  1,  1863. 

He  was  made  a  member  of  Wolcott  Council,  No.  1,  Janu- 
ary 18,.  1859,  and  served  as  its  Thrice  Illustrious  Master,  in 
1867  and  1868 ;  and  Knighted  in  Washington  Commandery, 
No.  1,  April  7,  1859,  served  in  office  through  several  stations, 
but  declined  advancement  to  office  on  the  platform. 

September  28,  1863,  he  became  a  member  of  the  bodies 
of.  the  Ancient  Accepted  Scottish  Rite,  in  Providence,  R.  I., 
and  became  a  charter  member  of  Charter  Oak  Lodge  of  Per- 
fection, in  Hartford,  and  was  the  first  Thrice  Potent  Grand 
Master,  holding  the  office  for  six  years,  from  1864  to  1870. 

May  11,  1865,  he  was  elected  Grand  Junior  Warden,  and 
served  one  year,  declining  further  honors  in  the  Grand  Lodge, 
much  to  the  disappointment  of  his  friends,  the  only  office  ever 
held  by  him  in  the  Grand  Lodge,  which  constituted  him  a 
permanent  member. 


152  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


By  nature  he  is  genial  and  social,  enjoying  the  companion- 
ship of  friends,  possessing  good  judgment  and  the  peculiar 
faculty  of  enforcing  discipline  without  being  autocratic,  thereby 
retaining  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  those  with  whom  he 
comes  in  contact,  either  in  his  business  or  social  relation.  As 
a  ritualist  he  was  the  first  among  his  equals,  rendering  masonic 
work  with  absolute  accuracy  and  in  a  manner  that  made  a  last- 
ing impression  upon  candidates  seeking  light.  His  aptness  for 
discipline  and  order  can  be  easily  traced  to  his  ancestors,  which 
has  made  some  of  them  so  distinguished  in  their  professional 
calling,  and  ensured  success. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  153 


JOHN  G.  ROOT. 


The  Grand  Treasurer  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  Hon.  John  G. 
Root,  of  Hartford,  was  born  at  Westfield,  Mass.,  April  20,  1835. 
He  removed  to  Hartford  at  the  age  of  twenty  years,  engaging 
in  the  banking  business,  and  has  since  been  a  resident  of  this 
city.  He  was  one  of  the  first  members  who  received  the 
degrees  in  Hartford  Lodge.  From  the  outset  his  masonic 
career  has  been  one  of  honor  and  influence  in  the  order.  The 
responsible  offices  which  he  has  occupied,  include  that  of  Wor- 
shipful Master  of  Hartford  Lodge ;  Eminent  Commander  of 
Washington  Commandery,  Knights  Templars,  and  Prelate  of 
the  Commandery  for  five  years ;  Thrice  Potent  Grand  Master 
of  Charter  Oak  Lodge  of  Perfection,  and  Grand  Commander  of 
the  Grand  Commandery  of  Connecticut,  occupying  the  latter 
position  in  1875.  He  is  the  Representative  of  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  New  York  state,  near  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut,  and 
the  Representative  of  the  Grand  Commandery  of  Illinois,  near 
the  Grand  Commandery  of  this  state. 

In  addition  to  the  Grand  Treasurership  of  the  Grand 
Lodge,  which  he  has  held  for  a  number  of  years,  he  is  the 
Grand  Treasurer  of  the  Grand  Chapter  of  Connecticut;  Treas- 
urer of  the  Masonic  Charity  Foundation  of  Connecticut ;  Presi- 
dent of  the  Masonic  Mutual  Benefit  Association  of  Connecticut, 
and  Trustee  of  the  Masonic  Hall  Association  of  this  city. 

The  32d  degree  was  conferred  on  him  years  ago,  and  one 
of  the  most  interesting  recognitions  which  he  has  received  here, 
occurred  at  the  conclusion  of  his  mayoralty  term  a  few  weeks 
ago,  when  he  was  presented  by  the  Board  of  Police  Commission- 


154  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


ers,  of  which  he  had  been  the  president  ex-officio,  for  two  years, 
with  an  elegant  chain  and  badge,  designating  his  Commandery 
and  Scottish  Rite  degree  attainments. 

He  delivered  the  oration  here  in  1881,  at  the  unveiling  of 
the  monument  in  Cedar  Hill  cemetery,  erected  in  honor  of 
Governor  Thomas  H.  Seymour,  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
of  Knights  Templars  in  the  state.  The  oration  was  an  eloquent 
tribute  to  the  brilliant  knight  and  statesman,  who  was  Eminent 
Commander  of  Washington  Commandery,  at  the  time  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch  held  the  second  office  in  the  organization. 

During  the  civil  war,  Grand  Treasurer  Root  held  a  Cap- 
taincy in  the  Twenty-second  Connecticut  regiment.  He  is  the 
President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Robert  O.  Tyler  Post 
Relief  Fund,  now  aggregating  $10,000,  and  has  been  the  Vice- 
President  of  the  Twenty-second  Regiment  Association.  He  is 
associated  also  with  the  Hartford  City  Guard,  and  Governor's 
Foot  Guard  Veteran  Commands  in  this  city,  and  was. the  Pres- 
ident of  the  Veteran  Association  of  the  Hartford  City  Guard  in 
1883,  membership  in  which  is  limited  to  City  Guard  men  who 
belonged  to  the  company  during  the  war  period.  The  presi- 
dency of  this  organization  is  regarded  as  a  very  high  honor. 

The  civil  life  of  the  Grand  Treasurer  has  not  been  less 
crowned  with  distinction  than  his  masonic  career.  Practically 
his  business  course  has  been  devoted  to  banking;  the  positions 
which  he  has  occupied  with  great  credit  include  the  Cashier- 
ship  of  the  American  National  Bank,  from  1871  until  1883,  and 
the  Presidency  of  the  Farmers  and  Mechanics  National  Bank, 
from  the  latter  date  until  now.  He  is  also  a  director  in  a  num- 
ber of  financial  institutions  in  this  city. 

He  was  elected  Mayor  of  Hartford,  in  April,  1888,  for  the 
term  of  two  years,  and  executed  the  duties  of  the  office  with 
unsurpassed  fidelity.  The  public  verdict  concerning  his  ad- 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  155 


ministration  is  one  of  universal  approval.  The  finances  of  the 
city  were  never  better  managed  than  during  his  term.  His 
straightforward  and  conservative  course  will  long  be  regarded 
with  admiration  by  the  residents  of  Hartford.  From  every 
point  of  view  the  life  of  Grand  Treasurer  Root  has  been  an 
exalted  and  exemplary  one.  I.  E.  F. 


1789  1889 

CENTENNIAL 

ANNIVERSARY 


GRAND  LODGE 

OF 

CONNECTICUT 

F.&  A.M. 

GUEST 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  157 


CENTENNIAL   ORATION 

*»BY«* 

Rev.  Brother  U.  W.   Richiardsory 


Masonry  is  not  the  mere  youth  of  an  hundred  years.  It  is 
another  Methuselah,  with  great  spans  in  its  hoary  history.  The 
masonic  brotherhood  comes  up  out  of  the  past  like  some  genii 
with  garments  woven  on  the  loom  of  mysterious  genealogy. 
Nevertheless,  masonry  possesses  a  heart  that  throbs,  and  a  brain 
that  thinks.  Although  much  of  a  mythical  nature  surrounds 
the  earlier  days  of  the  institution,  just  as  much  that  is  mythical 
gathers  about  the  life  of  a  Napoleon  or  Washington,  yet  there 
are  distinct  footprints  on  the  sands  of  time. 

Freemasonry  was  not  an  accident.  The  very  character  of 
the  institution  forbids  the  idea  of  a  spontaneous  production. 
When  the  historian  desires  to  trace  the  beginnings  of  the  order, 
he  does  not  look  for  sentimental  or  commercial  beginnings, 
like  that  from  which  so  many  modern  co-partnerships  have 
been  formed.  Neither  may  he  conclude  that  freemasonry  is  a 
lineal  descendant  from  the  English  guilds,  because  there  are 
some  resemblances  in  external  phases.  We  must  go  deeper  if 
we  would  trace  back  for  a  few  leagues  the  golden  threads  of 
masonic  genealogy.  The  American  Republic  was  not  a  spon- 
taneous production.  It  did  not  begin  with  the  Pilgrim  Fathers. 
This  government,  so  legitimate  in  its  nature ;  so  mild  in  its 
laws  ;  presenting,  above  all  governments  on  earth,  such  golden 
opportunities  to  its  citizens,  is  the  slow  growth  of  four  thousand 
years.  How  long  the  principles  of  a  free  representative  gov- 
ernment had  been  smoldering  among  the  peoples  we  know  not. 


158  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


But  in  Moses'  time  the  Hebrew  Republic  was  a  glimmer  of  the 
same  principles.  Again  and  again,  these  very  principles  of  a 
"  free  government,  for  and  by  the  people,"  blazed  up  in  Roman 
and  Grecian  history.  At  last  these  immortal  principles,  grown 
strong  by  accretion  and  agitation,  culminated  in  the  American 
Republic.  So  this  grand  masonic  superstructure  is  an  evolu- 
tion of  ages — but  its  spirit  life  has  always  existed.  That  invis- 
ible life-power  has  built,  as  the  coral  insect  builds.  For  ages 
the  little  insect  has  worked  unseen ;  but  at  last  his  cathedral 
roof  reaches  the  surface  of  the  ocean — years  go  by,  and  the 
storms  howl  and  the  sun  shines.  One  day  the  fingers  of  the 
reef  catch  a  solitary  piece  of  drift  soil — another  day  more  soil, 
and  the  years  march  on.  By  and  by  a  stray  bird  chances  to 
drop  from  its  bill  a  tiny  seed  upon  this  new  soil — and  the  cen- 
turies look  on.  But  at  last  the  coral  island  of  the  Pacific  has 
become  an  emerald  set  in  deep  blue. 

Human  want  and  necessity  have  ever  been  the  same  great 
ocean  in  all  periods  and  nations.  Very  much  that  we  enjoy  in 
our  day  comes  originally  from  the  rudiments  that  were  estab- 
lished in  the  twilight  of  human  history,  when  necessity  brought 
forth  the  beginnings  of  inventions.  There,  in  the  early  dawn 
of  civilization,  the  principles  of  a  fraternal  interest  among  men 
began  their  work  in  the  depths  of  society.  For  ages  they  were 
felt,  but  were  unrecognized  in  their  true  character.  These 
principles  were  constantly  absorbing  the  best  social  and  moral 
elements  of  each  succeeding  century,  and  sloughing  off  the 
worn-out  material  of  each  preceding  century,  until  at  last  they 
uplifted  themselves  into  our  century  with  the  fairest  verdure  of 
a  perfected  brotherhood. 

Such  is  the  history  of  the  toils  of  this  sublime  idea  of  an 
"  universal  brotherhood."  This  idea,  which  is  the  heart  and 
lungs  of  our  institution,  is  of  Divine  paternity.  It  was  one  of 


THE    CENTENNIAL.  159 


the  children  of  the  spiritual  world.  Before  an  idea  is  placed 
within  the  iron  and  wood  of  a  machine,  or  inscribed  on  a  parch- 
ment, it  lives  outside  the  material  world.  The  wood  and  iron 
and  manuscript  are  merely  the  jacket  and  pants  with  which  the 
inventor,  as  we  call  him,  clothes  the  invisible  idea  in  a  form 
which  men  can  see  and  handle.  So  the  idea  of  fraternity  was 
long  a  reality  unclothed.  When  circumstances  brought  it  to  a 
birth-hour,  and  the  finger  of  inspiration  touched  human  hearts, 
and  it  came  forth  into  the  world,  few  understood  its  real  import. 
Like  Hero  of  Alexandria,  who  discovered  steam  power  two 
hundred  and  fifty  years  before  Christ,  but  did  not  develop  his 
inspired  conception,  so  in  the  earlier  days  men  saw  the 
"brotherhood  idea,"  and  only  partially  clothed  it.  In  Pharaoh's 
time  only  the  "  nobility"  received  the  symbols  and  instruction, 
and  which  expressed  a  very  meagre  view  of  "  brotherhood." 
In  Solomon's  day  this  divine  idea  panted  for  a  grander  exposi- 
tion and  application  to  the  needs  of  men  than  any  previous 
generation  had  given  it.  Like  the  Franklins  and  Morses  of 
different  centuries,  who  brought  forth  great  things,  so  the  king 
felt  an  impulse  from  that  hand  which  appoints  even  the  spar- 
row his  way.  Catching  a  nearer  view  of  this  same  great  idea, 
he  selects  types  and  methods  of  instruction  that  shall  express 
his  conception  of  it.  At  that  time  he  was  engaged  in  the 
grandest  undertaking  of  his  life — the  building  of  a  temple  in 
which  the  true  God  might  be  worshiped.  The  features  of  this 
"  brotherhood  idea,"  answered  splendidly  the  needs  of  the  hour, 
and  bound  king  and  workmen  together  in  mutual  interest.  But 
even  Solomon,  in  all  his  glory,  did  not  rise  to  the  full  meaning 
and  scope  of  the  principle  which  he  so  peculiarly  clothed. 

And  so,  on  came  that  sublime  idea,  touching  periods  here 
and  there.  Other  men  catching  glimpses  of  its  beauty  and  the 
infinite  possibilities  of  its  utility,  took  this  same  idea  of  "  fra- 


160  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


ternity,"  and  created  contemporaneous  and  successive  socie- 
ties, with  imitations  of  original  rites  and  symbols.  They  thus 
sought  to  adopt  this  great  idea  of"  human  fraternity"  to  their 
own  peculiar  condition,  regardless  of  other  men.  Consequently 
mystery  and  confusion  were  entailed.  These  geniuses,  instead 
of  developing  what  Solomon  had  conceived,  sought  to  further 
narrow  it.  So  with  the  founders  of  the  Essenes ;  so  with  the 
Roman  Collegia  and  the  Culdees.  Then  came  the  Steinwerke 
of  Germany,  the  Companionage  of  France,  and  the  English 
guilds.  But  all  these  were  of  a  close  communion.  True,  royal, 
universal  charity  was  not  developed  within  their  borders.  Only 
he  who  knew  the  creed  of  some  manual  labor  or  political  affili- 
ation or  sectarian  faith  was  received  into  these  institutions. 

And  then  another  epoch  came.  As  a  nation  gradually 
emerges  from  the  labyrinth  of  its  legendary  surroundings  and 
enthrones  its  laws,  and  becomes  compact,  so  our  fathers  were 
vouchsafed  a  fuller  view  of  the  meaning  of  this  "  brotherhood 
idea."  This  fraternal  union  was  for  all  worthy  men,  without 
creedal  restriction.  Its  blessings  were  for  those  who  would 
comply  with  those  universal  laws  that  promote  love  and  fellow- 
ship. And  that  best  phase  of  "  brotherhood,"  which  Solomon 
partially  set  forth,  our  fathers  completed. 

The  marvelous  evolution  from  operative  to  speculative 
masonry,  like  its  birth,  was  not  the  result  of  accidental  causes. 
God  supervised  that  change ;  His  providence  broke  the  chrys- 
alis, and  through  men  liberated  those  best  features  of  the  craft, 
and  thus  enabled  an  agency  for  good  to  rise  to  the  infinite  pos- 
sibilities before  it. 

By  that  change  the  real  spirit  of  masonry  came  forth  to 
woo  men.  Our  fathers,  while  adhering  to  the  original  idea, 
divested  it  of  every  selfish  denominational  feature  and  made  it 
universally  applicable  to  the  needs  of  mankind.  Those  who 


THE    CENTENNIAL.  161 


preceded  Solomon  confined  the  benefits  of  fraternity  to  those 
of  royal  lineage.  The  king  improved  these  conditions  by  gath- 
ering about  him  in  mutual  interest  representatives  of  all  classes. 
But  even  Solomon  restricted  the  benefits  of  fraternity  to  those 
who  were  associated  with  him  in  building  the  temple.  Worthy 
men,  who  knew  not  the  uses  of  mallet  and  chisel,  were  excluded. 
But  when  our  fathers  came  into  communion  with  that  sublime 
idea,  they  recognized  its  real  import.  Operative  labor  any- 
where, is  both  typical  and  tributary  to  that  moral  labor  which 
builds  up  character.  They  saw  the  real  aim  of  fraternity,  and 
so  opened  its  doors  to  all  men  who  can  comply  with  the  con- 
ditions that  produce  harmony,  love,  and  co-operative  interest. 
They  toiled  not  in  vain  !  All  honor  to  the  fathers  !  But  alas, 
they  are  not  with  us — and  yet  men  may  die,  principles  live. 
Nations  pass  away,  but  that  which  has  its  foundation  in  human 
hearts  survives,  and  finds  exposition  in  each  incoming  genera- 
tion. This  is  why  Christianity  defies  the  attempt  to  tear  off  its 
crown.  This  is  exactly  why  masonry,  despite  the  storms,  rears 
aloft  its  cathedral  spires  into  the  bright  blue  sky  of  the  nine- 
teenth century.  The  institution  has  survived  the  wear  and 
decay  which  time  works  on  ordinary  affairs.  It  has  withstood 
political  upheaval  and  the  shocks  of  war  unscathed,  because  of 
those  vital  principles  in  its  constitution  that  contemporaneous 
fabrics  lacked,  and  consequently  passed  away. 

PROGRESSIVE   CHARACTER   OF   MASONIC    PRINCIPLES. 

The  glory  of  the  "brotherhood"  is  found  /;/  the  progres- 
sive character  of  masonic  principles.  Masonry  is  progressive. 
Not  that  every  few  decades  a  new  foundation  must  be  placed 
beneath  the  superstructure.  Not  that  the  principles  of  the 
craft  are  to  be  exemplified  by  a  multiplication  of  so-called 
"higher  degrees."  The  principles  of  brotherliness  will  ever 

11 


162  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


remain  the  same,  and  old  symbolic  masonry  the  only  medium 
for  the  exposition  of  the  sublime  teaching  of  the  craft.  Ma- 
sonic progress  does  not  mean  an  innovation  on  the  ancient 
masonic  idea ;  not  the  modern  creation  of  fanciful  rites  bearing 
ancient,  high-sounding  titles,  and  whose  only  glory  is  misfit 
clothing.  The  only  landmarks  have  been  received  and  set  by 
the  fathers ;  not  form,  not  literal  ritualism,  but  the  principles, 
and  there  can  be  no  lawful  addition  or  subtraction.  But  this 
progressive  spirit  lies  in  the  flexibility  and  wonderful  adapta- 
tion of  these  masonic  principles  to  this  age  of  universal  enlight- 
enment. History  teaches  that  institutions  that  have  lost  their 
usefulness  cannot  live  on  the  glory  of  past  achievements.  The 
English  guilds  are  not,  because  they  were  local  and  served 
their  purpose.  The  German  Steinwerke  lapsed,  because  its 
aim  was  selfish  and  its  affection  narrow.  Not  a  single  spar  has 
floated  in  from  the  wreckage  of  hundreds  of  kindred  societies 
that  likewise  perished,  because  they  were  built  for  a  short  voy- 
age. But  freemasonry  is  not  a  society — it  is  a  brotherhood. 
It  looms  up  before  us  with  a  great  broad  heart  that  takes  the 
centuries  in.  As  in  the  past,  it  now  assimilates  and  prepares 
mental  and  moral  material  for  the  needs  of  men  one  hundred 
years  hence.  There  is  no  room  in  masonry  for  any  false,  gush- 
ing sentimentalism.  There  is  no  room  for  soft  pine  and  dead 
wood.  Every  rib  must  be  live  oak,  and  every  plank  well  sea- 
soned. Masonry  is  built  for  a  long  voyage. 

The  golden  age  of  masonry  lies  not  in  the  past,  but  in  the 
great  future.  The  strength  of  the  institution  is  not  located  in 
many  ancient  myths  and  fallacious  traditions  that  have  clus- 
tered about  its  early  history  like  barnacles  on  the  bottom  of  a 
"Great  Eastern."  True,  freemasons  are,  and  justly  may  be, 
proud  of  the  past.  But  the  glory  of  the  institution  is  that  it 
gracefully  assumes  a  prominent  place  in  the  van,  with  those 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  163 


moral  and  philosophic  enterprises  that  grapple  with  the  social 
problems  of  our  day.  This  is  the  age  of  lightning  thought,  and 
sharply  expressed  opinions ;  and  our  chief  joy  is  not  found  in 
the  belief  that  masonry  had  Pharaoh  for  a  god-father,  and  Solo- 
mon as  an  early  guardian.  Our  joy  springs  from  the  truth,  that 
freemasonry  is  competent  to  deal  with  modern  facts.  Masons 
need  not  lean  upon  thread-bare  traditions,  that  only  deceive 
the  ignorant  and  provoke  contempt  from  the  wise.  We  may 
cast  the  chaff  to  the  winds,  we  shall  continue  to  hold  the  wheat 
in  our  hand.  The  falling  of  a  cobweb  does  not  disturb  the 
rock-ribbed  monarch  of  hills.  So  we  may  safely  brush  aside 
the  useless  mythical,  and  yet  the  substantial  principles  of  our 
brotherhood  will  remain  firm  as  Mount  Washington,  which,  un- 
moved, looks  down  upon  fifty  generations.  The  strong  sun- 
light of  our  century  lights  up  the  hidden  corners  of  every 
sham.  Ecclesiastical  myths  and  false  assumptions  collapse 
like  bubbles.  The  masonic  fraternity  has  not  been  exploded, 
although  the  keen  point  of  investigation  has  been  pressed 
against  it.  Freemasonry  is  not  a  bubble  !  Oh  !  present  deeds 
give  the  institution  its  present  worth ;  and  this  prophecy  of 
future  usefulness  crowns  its  brow  with  glory. 

This  wonderful  progress  of  the  masonic  fraternity  through 
the  maze  of  past  vicissitudes,  up  to  its  present  stature  of 
grandeur,  is  an  answer  to  those  who  have  libeled  it.  The 
enemies  of  the  institution  have  prophesied,  and  ridiculed,  and 
persecuted,  but,  the  mockers  have  passed  away,  and  masonry 
is  here ! 

The  world  is  no  longer  in  doubt  respecting  the  great  con- 
flict which  the  fraternity  wages.  It  is  impossible  to  weave 
golden  threads  into  a  web  of  cloth  and  conceal  them ;  so  six 
hundred  thousand  masonic  threads  in  the  web  of  our  national 
life  must  make  a  pattern  somewhere. 


164  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


This  is  why  the  American  people  have  an  increasing  affec- 
tion for  the  brotherhood.  Once  the  masonic  body  was  weak, 
and  in  its  weakness  was  hunted  like  an  animal.  To-day  the 
fraternity  is  a  Hercules,  and  yet  the  world  looking  on  has  not 
seen  the  upraised  arm  of  retaliation,  nor  a  spirit  of  vindictive- 
ness,  nor  the  glitter  of  persecution.  The  craft  is  not  barbaric ; 
it  is  permeated  with  that  highest  achievement  of  Christian  civ- 
ilization— the  spirit  of  forgiveness  !  The  world  has  learned 
that  masonry  builds  up,  not  tears  down.  That  it  binds  to- 
gether, not  wedges  apart.  Masonry,  like  an  arch-angel  with  face 
all  aglow,  is  seen  softly  and  quietly  walking  up  and  down  the 
aisle-ways  of  life,  intent  only  on  its  Divine  mission  of  crystaliz- 
ing  the  sweet  spirit  of  love  and  the  diffusion  of  universal  char- 
ity. This  present  efficiency  is  only  a  vestibule  to  the  temple 
of  the  future.  As  civilization  advances,  as  knowledge  increases, 
as  the  wants  of  men  deepen,  it  will  be  found  that  freemasonry 
has  kept  pace  with  every  phalanx  of  great  ideas,  and  has  pro- 
vided a  holy  retreat  for  the  men  of  a  still  grander  period ! 

SUBLIME   SYSTEM    OF   TEACHING. 

No  crisis  is  too  perilous  for  its  ability ;  no  social  evolution 
too  rapid  for  its  adaptation,  because  of  its  sublime  system  of 
teaching.  The  institution  is  practical  in  its  purpose.  The  doc- 
trine and  symbols  may  be  applied  to  all  phases  of  human  life. 
The  college  finds  its  best  recommendation  in  those  men  who, 
prepared  by  her  hand,  have  gone  forth  to  win  the  battle.  So 
the  quality  of  masonic  teaching  is  manifest  by  its  effects  upon 
the  great  body  of  men  who  compose  the  fraternity.  The 
stranger  may  not  be  permitted  to  enter  a  masonic  convocation ; 
he  need  not  if  knowledge  concerning  the  mission  of  masonry 
is  all  he  seeks.  Masons  fill  pulpits,  and  adorn  the  Presidential 
chair,  and  occupy  positions  of  high  trust  in  the  banks,  and  are 
faithful  workmen  behind  counters  and  at  the  bench.  Their 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  165 


temples  adorn  public  thoroughfares,  and  their  practices  are  not 
hid  from  observation.  Like  the  orange  groves  of  the  South, 
the  roots  of  the  order  are  concealed,  but  the  orange  blossoms 
and  the  golden  fruit  are  all  in  sight,  and  delight  the  senses. 

The  masonic  brotherhood  is  a  mighty  organization.  Like 
a  nervous  system,  its  ramifications  extend  through  all  climes 
and  reach  the  thrones  of  all  civilized  governments.  In  the  his- 
tory of  the  world,  no  human  organization  ever  began  to  wield 
the  power  which  the  masonic  fraternity  now  wields.  If  the 
Royalists  of  France,  or  the  Nihilists  of  Russia,  possessed  but  a 
fraction  of  the  power  that  abides  in  the  compact  brotherhood, 
they  could  overturn  governments  and  name  their  kings.  Yet 
with  infinite  possibilities  for  self-aggrandizement  before  it,  the 
masonic  brotherhood  has  never  been  convicted  of  plotting 
against  the  government  of  any  land.  The  brotherhood  has 
never  been  honestly  accused  of  thwarting  the  rights  of  civil  and 
religious  liberty.  Masonry  has  never  been  guilty  of  defeating 
the  ends  of  justice.  Oh  !  masonry  preaches  "  Peace  on  earth, 
and  good  will  towards  men." 

Masonry  does  not  teach  its  devotee  to  double  up  his  fists, 
but  to  spread  abroad  his  hand  in  blessing.  This  is  the  secret 
of  its  power  over  the  hearts  of  men.  The  little  flower  of  the 
field  uplifts  its  face  towards  the  east  to  greet  the  rising 
sun ;  at  evening  its  little  face  is  turned  westward  in  a  loving 
good-night ;  the  wayside  daisy  is  sensitive  to  the  great  attrac- 
tion of  the  sun.  So  the  great  light  of  masonry  has  its  attrac- 
tion. Just  think  of  the  thousands  of  bright  intellects  that  are 
held  together  in  masonic  circle.  Ponder  well  the  fact  that  each 
active  brain  among  those  thousands  has  its  own  throbbing 
ideas,  its  own  sturdy  convictions,  its  own  positive  mode  of  ex- 
pression. And  yet,  despite  multiplied  diversity  of  character, 
the  doctrines  of  maspnry  hold  these  millions  in  loyal  allegiance. 


166  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


These  are  ever  looking  towards  the  Great  Light.  William  of 
Germany  maintains  his  supremacy  by  the  drawn  sword  and 
bristling  battery ;  masonry  perpetuates  its  empire  without  the 
shotted  cannon  and  gleaming  bayonet.  By  the  teaching  of 
love  masonry  wears  its  crown.  Sentimentalism  never  brought 
forth  such  fruit.  No  political  organization  ever  wove  such  pat- 
terns of  worth.  This  is  the  product  of  a  teaching  that  reaches 
the  core  of  true  manhood.  The  foundry  magnet  can  only 
attract  particles  of  iron  and  steel,  material  like  itself.  But  free- 
masonry takes  the  cultured  man  of  the  highest  attainment  and 
the  artisan  of  a  humbler  sphere,  and  it  brings  those  men  to- 
gether in  mutual  understanding,  uniting  them  in  one  aim  and 
purpose.  The  doctrines  of  masonry  not  only  attract  the  iron 
and  steel,  but  also  the  gold  and  silver  of  manhood. 

There  are  no  reserved  seats  in  its  temples.  He  in  goodly 
apparel  and  with  a  gold  ring  usurps  no  high  place.  Masonic 
teaching  recognizes  worth,  not  wealth.  A  craftsman  may 
labor  at  the  bench ;  his  clothes  may  be  thread-bare  and  his 
family  among  the  humble — but  masonry  spreads  out  its  hands 
in  loving  benediction,  saying,  "A  man  's  a  man  for  a'  that." 
Masonic  catholicity  is  so  broad  that,  like  the  blue  firmament, 
it  covers  men  of  all  creeds.  Masonic  teaching  has  filled  the 
"  brotherhood  idea  "  with  a  glory  and  meaning  which  it  never 
had  before.  Though  having  signs  and  tokens,  like  any  family, 
and  by  which  member  recognizes  member,  still  masonry  does 
not  fence  itself  in  from  the  rest  of  mankind.  Freemasonry  is 
not  an  ecclesiasticism,  calling  outsiders  aliens  and  anathematiz- 
ing them.  It  has  not  evolved  a  modern  phase  of  ancient 
feudalism.  The  institution,  like  a  big-hearted  mother,  cares  for 
its  own,  and  it  loves  all  the  world  besides.  It  recognizes  the 
fatherhood  of  God  and  the  brotherhood  of  men.  There  the 
masonic  institution  stands,  having  within  its  courts  successfully 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  167 


abolished  the  feud  between  the  aristocracy  and  democracy, 
showing  the  world  how  to  best  provide,  not  privileges  for  the 
few,  but  blessings  for  all. 

During  the  spring  of  1863  the  Federal  and  Confederate 
armies  confronted  each  other,  with  only  the  Rappahannock 
river  between  them.  One  evening  at  dusk  one  of  the  regi- 
mental bands  chanced  to  play  "The  Star  Spangled  Banner." 
When  the  refrain  ceased  the  "  Boys  in  Blue  "  cheered  it  to  the 
echo.  Then,  after  a  moment's  deep  silence,  a  band  on  the 
other  side  struck  up  "The  Bonnie  Blue  Flag,"  and  the  "Boys 
in  Gray  "  saluted  it  with  the  Confederate  yell.  They  kept  on, 
as  the  shades  of  night  gathered  silent  and  grim  about  the 
two  armies — cheer  to  cheer — Columbia  responding  to  Dixie. 
But  bye  and  bye  one  of  the  bands  commenced  in  soft,  plaintive 
notes  the  old  sweet  refrain,  "  Home,  Sweet  Home,"  and  the 
other  joined.  The  pickets  ceased  bandying  each  other;  the 
drummer-boy,  writing  to  the  far-away  loved  ones,  came  to  the 
tent-door  and  listened ;  a  sacred  influence,  like  the  fast-falling 
dew,  was  stealing  over  those  grim  men  of  war: 

"  Something  on  the  soldier's  cheek 
Washed  off  the  powder's  stain." 

"  Home,  Sweet  Home."  The  refrain  swelled  into  a  grand 
anthem,  and  then  died  away  on  the  soft,  still  air  like  an  angel's 
sob.  Then  there  went  up  a  simultaneous  shout  from  both 
sides  of  the  river — a  shout  so  loud  that  Gabriel  could  not  tell 
whether  the  acclaim  was  from  the  Blue  or  the  Gray.  At  last  a 
chord  had  been  struck  to  which  even  the  hearts  of  enemies 
could  beat  in  unison.  So,  standing  beside  the  great  current  of 
humanity,  masonry  voices  a  symphony  that  reaches  the  souls 
of  men  who  have  been  at  variance  in  affairs  of  church  and  state, 
bringing  heart  to  heart,  and  uniting  their  prayers.  Oh  !  what  a 
public  manifestation  of  the  hidden  life  of  the  lodge  room. 


168  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


True,  now  and  then,  there  are  seen  a  few  ripples  on  the 
broad  surface  of  our  own  masonic  Mississippi.  This  is  no  indi- 
cation of  a  crevasse.  Such  things  are  like  rocks  in  mid-stream, 
over  which  the  hastening  river  tumbles,  and  then,  cleansed  by 
the  momentary  agitation,  and  divested  of  impurities  gathered 
from  pond  and  lowland,  goes  on  in  the  quietness  of  a  deep  cur- 
rent to  lose  itself  in  the  bosom  of  the  ocean.  Such  is  the  effect 
of  those  agitations  over  which  the  masonic  current  has  passed. 
And  to-day,  like  a  majestic  tide  with  silver  sheen,  the  brother- 
hood, in  the  quietness  of  a  deeper  current,  moves  on  to  meet 
the  continued  blessings  of  God.  Masonic  teaching  has  the 
power  to  harmonize  within  its  own  circle.  It  is  a  prophet,  with 
honor  among  its  own  friends  and  in  its  own  home. 

MASONRY   INCULCATES   TRUE    CHARITY   AND    SYMPATHY. 

Masonry  also  inculcates  true  charity  and  sympathy.  We 
read  how,  on  that  "  first  day  of  the  week  "  an  angel  came  down 
from  Heaven  and  rolled  away  the  rock  from  the  entrance  to 
Joseph's  new  tomb.  So  the  bright  spirit  of  masonry  stands  by 
the  sepulchre  in  each  brother's  heart,  and  rolling  back  natural 
indifference,  makes  it  possible  for  his  better  nature  to  have  an 
"  Easter  Morn  "  from  the  death  of  selfishness  ;  to  rise  into  that 
life  which  has  a  sympathy  for  the  welfare  of  others.  By  the 
sweetly  solemn  scenes  of  the  lodge  room,  masons  are  taught  to 
take  some  poor  frozen  brother  and  place  his  naked  flesh  against 
their  own  warm  hearts ;  to  stoop  down  and  feel  the  breath  of 
misfortune.  Masonry  comes  and  uses  its  vast  resources  as  a 
barrow  in  which  to  wheel  a  brother's  needs.  Oh  !  masonry 
reaches  into  many  a  blighted  life,  and  with  angelic  touch  fills 
its  earth  with  roses,  its  Heaven  with  stars,  and  drapes  its  future 
with  the  crimson  of  hope !  Men  have  no  confidence  in  that 
sympathy  which  exhausts  itself  with  soft  phrases.  If  a  man 
care  not  for  the  present  condition  of  his  neighbor;  if  he  enter 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  169 


not  into  sympathy  with  him ;  if  he  be  not  glad  of  his  joy  and 
pierced  with  his  pain,  then  he  may  talk  with  pretended  pathos 
and  men  will  not  believe  in  him. 

Masonic  sympathy  is  not  pretense.  In  the  voice  of  Ter- 
ence, it  says :  "  whatever  concerns  man  concerns  me."  Ma- 
sonry, like  an  individual  glorious  being  of  sense  and  emotion, 
appreciates  heart-hunger  and  soul-want.  In  the  sunshine  of  its 
altar  it  presents  a  circle  of  loving  hearts  and  pleasant  compan- 
ionships, and  encouragement  for  those  who  toil  alone  in  the 
great  bargain  of  life ;  and  for  pain  and  sickness  it  comes  swiftly 
with  silver  wings  and  affectionate  attention.  Masonic  sympa- 
thy is  not  of  that  sublimated  sort  that  concerns  itself  only  with 
ethereal  things  and  forgets  the  earthly  !  In  this  brotherhood, 
sham  friendship  and  fictitious  symbolism  and  foolish  mummery 
are  not  substituted  for  the  red  blood  of  sympathy.  Masonry 
not  only  plans  for  the  future,  but  has  also  a  big  heart  for  the 
present ;  and  it  weeps  and  labors  to  bless  the  every-day  con- 
dition of  men  !  This  is  why  we  believe  in  it,  and  love  its  altars 
and  worship  its  God.  The  fraternal  love  that  radiates  from  our 
altar  to  every  suffering  and  needy  brother;  the  mystic  ties  that 
cause  our  hearts  to  throb  with  every  pulse-beat  of  woe;  those 
days  of  practical  kindness  and  hours  of  midnight  watching; 
that  tender  care  for  the  prostrate  form  that  lies  so  still,  and  the 
sweet  message  to  the  widow  and  orphan  from  that  circle  of  sor- 
rowing hearts — these  are  the  pearls  and  diamonds  that  fill  the 
coffers  of  masonry  ! 

I  have  seen  a  masonic  pearl :  It  was  a  wild  night  in  Jan- 
uary. The  gale  pressed  its  lips  to  the  cracks  of  the  humble 
dwelling,  while  the  snow-flakes  beat  like  swallows'  wings 
against  the  window  panes.  That  morning  the  widowed  mother 
had  been  called  to  the  bedside  of  her  only  son.  "  Mother,  I 
am  sick,"  he  said.  And  now  while  the  cold  storm  was  placing 


170  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


fetters  on  brook  and  pond,  and  wrapping  the  earth  in  a  white 
winding  sheet,  death  was  fast  frosting  his  poor  body.  Recog- 
nizing the  fatal  touch,  and  desiring  to  leave  his  affairs  in  order, 
he  said :  "  Mother,  dear,  go  call  Squire  Cook."  The  old 
mother  started,  gazed  intently,  and  exclaimed:  "Jamie,  dost 
thou  know  me?"  "Aye,  mother,  I  am  not  delirious;  call 
Squire  Cook."  But  the  old  woman  demurred.  The  Squire  was 
rich — very  rich ;  they  were  poor — very  poor.  It  was  a  night 
when  the  gentlemen  seek  the  bright  fire,  and  children  cling  the 
closer  to  Mamma.  And  she  replied  :  "  He  won't  come  out  such 
a  night  as  this,  my  son,"  and  stooping  down  she  kissed  the  pale 
cheek  and  dropped  a  scalding  tear  upon  his  forehead. 

But  again  he  said:  "Mother,  go  call  Squire  Cook."  The 
old  woman  drew  the  thin  shawl  about  her  wasted  form,  and 
went  out  into  the  blast.  Surely  Jamie  was  wandering  this 
night.  The  rich  and  influential  Squire ;  he  before  whom  the 
village  bowed,  would  not  leave  his  mansion  for  the  bleak  road. 
She  was  at  the  door,  and  timidly  pulled  the  bell.  A  pompous 
footman  gruffly  ushered  her  in — the  lights — the  bright  warmth 
— the  peals  of  laughter  from  happy  childhood — ah,  surely 
Jamie  was  wandering  that  night. 

The  Squire  came  out  from  the  parlor,  dignified  and  august. 
The  woman  cowered  in  his  presence.  Then  she  burst  forth : 
"Forgive  me,  sir,  he  made  me  come;  Jamie  said,  ask  him  if 
there  is  no  help  for  the  widow's  son?"  The  frown  vanished; 
a  transformation  came  over  the  dignified  Squire.  The  foot- 
man hastily  brought  the  top-boots.  Quickly  the  ulster  was 
drawn  on.  Tenderly  the  Squire  placed  her  trembling  arm 
within  his,  and,  breasting  the  snowdrifts,  made  paths  for  her 
tired  feet.  Softly  he  stepped  to  that  bedside  —  their  hands 
met — he  bent  down  until  his  forehead  almost  touched  the  fore- 
head of  the  widow's  son.  She  rjeard  not  what  was  said.  But 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  171 


they  heard  those  whispers  in  Heaven  and  noted  the  eloquence 
of  true  human  sympathy.  Three  days  later  Jamie  rested  in  an 
honored  grave.  But  marvelous  fact :  The  widow  did  not  fall, 
though  her  staff  was  removed ;  she  did  not  hunger,  though  her 
income  was  cut  off;  she  was  not  alone  in  the  world,  though 
her  only  son  had  died.  Oh  !  Masonry  stood  there,  and  com- 
forted the  dying,  and  supported  the  sorrowing.  Should  we 
chronicle  every  kindred  scene,  we  should  have  a  necklace  of 
pearls,  and  should  we  relate  every  masonic  benefaction,  we 
should  have  vestments  of  gold.  And  we  might  clothe  the 
order  like  a  bride  in  her  garlands  and  singing  robes,  and  free- 
masonry in  beauty  would  be  seen,  waiting  for  the  coming  of 
the  king  in  his  glory.  Ah  !  to  do  good  is  the  hub,  out  of 
which  come  all  the  spokes  in  the  chariot  wheel  of  our  progress. 

MASONRY  PRESENTS  A  HIGH  TYPE  OF  MANHOOD. 
By  the  application  of  these  principles,  masonry  aims  to 
present  a  high  type  of  manhood  to  the  community.  Very  few  of 
the  outside  world  really  understand  the  aim  of  masonic  work. 
Some  foolishly  think  that  masons  come  together  and,  like  a 
parcel  of  schoolboys,  turn  the  lodge  room  into  a  playground 
for  ridiculous  pranks.  I  would  that  they  could  know  how 
serious  and  sublime  and  peculiarly  adapted  masonic  methods 
are  to  work  hand  in  hand  with  the  Christian  civilization.  It 
touches  and  blesses  society  in  a  thousand  ways,  and  yet,  the 
locality  of  these  blessings  is  unsuspected,  because  it  is  so  unos- 
tentatiously done.  There  is  no  clanking,  no  blowing  of 
whistles — some  people  would  hardly  know  that  the  great  driv- 
ers were  on  steel  rails,  and  drawing  manhood  up  grade, 
were  it  not  for  occasions  like  this.  Thousands  eat  bread,  but 
know  not  the  process  through  which  the  grain  passes  to  be- 
come bread.  Thousands  admire  George  Washington,  but 
know  not  that  masonry  had  a  share  in  making  him  what  he 


172  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


was.  So  with  thousands  of  men  who  have  held  a  steady  hand 
on  the  helm  of  state,  or  faced  the  arc  of  fire  and  leaden  hail  in 
the  great  crises  of  national  history.  They  were  brave  and 
grand,  but  the  community  knew  not  the  hidden  forces  that 
were  motors  to  their  heroism.  Civilization  and  freemasonry 
stand  side  by  side  to-day,  because  of  these  honorable  men  who 
were  masons  and  citizens  one  hundred  years  ago.  They  have 
faithfully  transmitted  to  us  these  principles  which  made  history 
in  their  generation.  Here  are  philosophies  and  rituals,  and 
symbols  and  unique  methods  blended  into  one  sublime  effort 
to  uplift  our  generation.  We  are  made  up  of  beliefs  and  pur- 
poses and  tastes.  What  we  do,  and  do  not,  is  contagious  in  its 
tendency,  and  is  ever  transmitting  itself  to  our  fellows.  Natu- 
rally, continual  contact  with  such  an  institution  must  make  an 
impression  upon  so  susceptible  a  creature  as  man.  To  do  this, 
masonry  does  not  resort  to  sophistry.  The  Bible  is  the  main- 
spring of  its  mechanism.  Its  ideals  come  from  that  book. 
The  very  secrecy  of  masonic  preparation,  against  which  the  un- 
sophisticated declaim,  is  a  prominent  page  in  the  lesson  book 
of  truth.  Secrecy  is  not  a  masonic  eccentricity.  The  Great 
Father  works  silently ;  the  good  man  of  The  Book  does  not  let 
his  left  hand  know  what  his  right  is  doing ;  the  all-wise  Christ 
admonished  men  to  forsake  the  street-corners  and  to  enter  into 
the  closet  for  true  prayer.  Goodness  needs  no  publicity.  Se- 
crecy is  a  prominent  trait  in  the  character  of  manhood.  So 
there  is  a  profound  meaning  in  the  fact  that  masonry  opens  no 
recruiting  offices,  nor  offers  financial  inducements  to  fill  its 
ranks.  Masonry  teaches  a  profound  lesson  by  requiring  every 
applicant  for  admission  to  come  unsolicited  and  offer  himself 
as  a  free-will  offering  at  its  shrine.  Oh,  in  no  other  human  in- 
stitution are  men  taught  such  self-abnegation  !  Men  are  here 
taught  to  do  good,  not  for  publicity  and  public  plaudits,  but 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  173 


for  the  sake  of  good  itself.  In  this  institution  giving  is  made  a 
luxury — a  closed  mouth  accompanies  the  open  hand.  The 
stamp  of  Heaven  is  upon  such  training,  and  as  a  result  we  have 
a  type  of  manhood  upon  which  the  grip  of  covetousness  does 
not  rest.  This  is  the  basis  of  that  masonic  charitableness  which 
closes  the  lips  against  repeating  the  faults  of  a  brother,  and 
which  keeps  secret  from  a  cynical  world  the  need  of  some  un- 
fortunate. A  character  permeated  with  that  spirit  is  manhood 
in  its  grandeur !  Leonidas  and  his  brave  companions  in  the 
pass  at  Thermopylae  were  not  a  grander  sight  than  a  circle  of 
modern  busy  men  who,  forgetting  the  lines  of  creed  and  the 
rivalries  of  traffic,  stand  guard  about  the  fallen,  amidst  the  mad 
rush  of  our  times.  The  masonic  laboratory  *  *  may 

be  closed  to  the  curious ;  its  production  is  seen  in  a  tall  man- 
hood. Love  and  mercy,  true  masonic  traits,  are  not  a  secret. 
Unity  and  friendship,  the  very  essence  of  masonic  character, 
are  not  a  secret.  Oh  !  masonic  manhood  is  warm  flesh  and 
blood,  even  if  there  is  not  some  one  posted  on  each  corner  cry- 
ing, "  Look  !  I  am  a  mason."  Masonry  makes  no  appeal  to 
brute  force.  Its  ideal  manhood  is  not  great  muscles,  reckless 
daring,  and  the  heart  of  a  prize-fighter.  It  has  been  well  said, 
"  Masonic  manhood  involves  no  flavor  of  impurity  or  any 
swagger  of  the  bully.  It  looks  for  tenderness  and  soft  touches. 
This  ideal  includes  self-sacrifice,  restraint  of  passion,  fidelity  to 
trusts  and  obedience  to  superiors." 

The  biographer  of  Abraham  Lincoln  calls  attention  to  his 
sympathy,  his  tenderness  of  heart,  his  love  of  children,  and 
tendency  to  melt  into  tears  over  a  story  of  suffering — and  we 
know  Lincoln  as  the  grandest  of  all  Americans.  So  masonic 
manhood  is  that  which  is  true  to  God,  true  to  his  country,  true 
to  his  neighbor,  and  true  to  himself.  With  this  ideal  we  are 
not  ashamed  to  go  before  the  world.  The  saying  is  true :  "  It 


174  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


is  not  wealth,  nor  station,  nor  honor,  nor  learning,  that  consti- 
tutes the  model  man,  but  character  unimpeached  and  unim- 
peachable. 

Our  enthusiasm  does  not  make  us  forgetful.  We  know 
that  a  few  careless  ones  bring  a  reproach  upon  our  fair  name. 
'Tis  a  pity  that  a  stain  attracts  greater  attention  than  the  daz- 
zling whiteness  of  the  entire  wall.  They  censured  the  Christ 
because  he  did  not  cast  out  the  publicans  and  sinners,  and  yet 
he  continued  with  them  to  do  good.  Masonry  is  not  false  to 
its  Great  Exemplar  —  what  might  these  not  become  were  it  not 
for  the  tender  hand  of  masonry  which  keeps  their  lips  above 
the  dark  wave.  What  a  recommendation  for  that  manly  broth- 
erliness  which  does  not  impetuously  cast  forth,  but  first  seeks 
to  save  !  But,  brothers,  who  has  failed  to  note  the  mighty 
moral  movement  going  on  in  our  fraternity?  It  keeps  pace 
with  that  mighty  reform  in  the  outside  world  which  calls  for  a 
pure  pulpit,  pure  pews,  and  commercial  honesty.  The  masonic 
standard  is  fast  merging  from  the  ideal  into  the  sober  fact. 
The  time  is  not  distant  when  to  say  "  he  is  a  mason,"  will  be 
equivalent  to  saying  "  he  is  honest  and  pure  —  and  he  is  a 


TO  AID  MAN  IN  HIS  RELIGIOUS  TRAINING. 
Finally,  these  symbols  and  rites  and  pass-words,  are  to  aid 
man  in  his  religious  training.  This  is  the  aim  of  all  masonic 
teaching.  He  who  looks  no  further  than  the  sentimental  and 
intellectual,  has  not  learned  masonry.  He  who  says  it  has  no 
religious  office,  must  be  unfamiliar  with  its  principles.  Broth- 
ers, we  must  not  overlook  the  intentions  of  the  founders  of  the 
fraternity.  In  addition  to  all  else,  they  had  in  view  help  for 
a  man's  soul.  The  "order  of  service  "  in  a  church  is  not  more 
specially  arranged  to  bring  worship  of  God  before  the  people, 
than  are  masonic  rituals  to  impress  that  same  thought  upon  its 
craftsmen  !  From  its  alpha  to  omega,  freemasonry  is  an  illus- 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  175 


tration  of  religious  facts,  setting  forth  religious  doctrines  by 
sublimely  religious  lessons  of  obedience  and  faith.  The  build- 
ers of  our  system  thoroughly  understood  the  meaning  of  these 
types  and  symbols,  and  selected  them  because  of  their  meaning. 
What  these  fathers  intended  to  convey  is  easily  discovered. 
The  ceremonies  of  ancient  craft  masonry  outline  prophecy  and 
picture  sacrifice,  of  which  a  consistent  meaning  can  be  found 
only  in  the  sacred  scriptures.  There  is  prophecy  in  the  leg- 
endary death  of  that  mason  who  was  smitten  because  he  would 
not  yield  up  the  interests  of  his  co-laborers  on  the  temple. 
This  was  an  ancient  picture  of  sacrificial  death.  But  how  mar- 
velously  that  outlines  the  event  of  Calvary,  where  the  Master 
Builder  of  the  Spiritual  Temple  was  smitten  for  the  sake  of  his 
brethren.  It  is  wonderful  how  ancient  craft  masonry  by  its 
three  degrees  and  also  in  its  third  degree,  symbolizes  the  three 
stages  of  the  Messiah's  work  for  the  human  soul.  In  coming 
out  from  his  seclusion,  the  Messiah's  integrity  was  assaulted  by 
three  separate  temptations  in  the  wilderness ;  as  the  climax 
opened,  He  was  seized  and  taken  in  inquisition  before  Caiphas 
and  Herod  and  Pilate,  three  villains,  in  whom  the  one  spirit  of 
evil  dwelt.  Ah,  can  you  not  discover  a  prophecy  of  that  great 
drama  of  the  world  in  this  ancient  degree,  where  he  whom 
masons  honor,  when  coming  from  the  seclusion  of  his  lodge 
was  thrice  accosted,  but  would  not  yield  his  integrity,  and  gave 
up  his  life  for  the  craft?  In  those  three  degrees  of  ancient 
craft  masonry,  there  is  a  delineation  of  the  effect  of  man's  alien- 
ation from  God,  and  a  likeness  of  the  sacrificial  work  that  was 
to  restore  what  had  been  lost  by  sin.  These  workmen  in  Solo- 
mon's day  looked  for  a  Messiah,  and  shared  the  faith  of  the 
king,  who  by  divine  inspiration  pictured  the  beauties  of  the 
Messiah's  work  in  minstrel  lay.  Is  this  not  the  origin  of  these 
prophetical  outlines  in  masonry?  We  are  persuaded  that  those 


176  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


fathers  of  masonry,  instructed  by  the  king  concerning  these 
future  events,  wove  all  this  about  the  brotherhood  idea  to 
express  their  grandest  conception  of  brotherliness  and  what  it 
would  suffer  for  another. 

Brothers,  we  are  not  attempting  to  foist  upon  freemasonry 
what  does  not  belong  to  it.  These  correspondences  between 
the  rites  of  masonry  and  the  great  facts  of  religion,  are  too 
numerous  and  definite  to  be  mere  co-incidence.  There  is  but 
one  reasonable  deduction ;  that  ancient  craft  masonry  in  its  un- 
corrupted  simplicity,  was  a  setting  forth  of  the  religious  hopes 
of  those  workmen  who  believed  in  God.  This  alone  gives  con- 
sistency and  intrinsic  value  to  the  rites  and  symbols  of  free- 
masonry. We  think  God  has  given  the  fraternity  his  protec- 
tion through  all  the  wars  of  vicissitude,  because  of  this  very 
truth  which  it  preaches  by  type  and  symbol.  He  who  extols 
the  value  of  landmarks,  must  not  ignore  this  parent  one. 

The  student  of  masonry  knows  there  is  no  room  in  it  for 
the  atheist;  that  the  charlatan  is  an  unwelcome  trespasser. 
To  its  social  and  intellectual  privileges  it  adds  this  of  religious 
help.  Therefore  we  boldly  cry  "  hands  off"  to  all  impious 
hearts,  who  seek  to  divorce  masonry  from  her  first  spouse  and 
wed  her  to  another. 

True,  very  true,  freemasonry  is  not  a  church ;  it  usurps 
no  churchly  prerogative  ;  it  does  not  presume  to  satisfy  a  man's 
religious  longings ;  it  does  not  pretend  to  take  the  place  of 
"  conversion  "  ;  but,  as  a  religious  organization,  it  seeks  to  pre- 
pare the  craftsman  for  the  higher  work  of  Christianity.  Relig- 
ion, primarily,  means  "  to  bind  anew "  or  "  to  bind  back  to 
God."  What  other  mission  has  freemasonry?  It  earnestly 
inculcates  a  belief  in  the  One  and  Eternal  God.  It  makes 
supreme  the  Holy  Bible  as  an  authoritative  revelation  from 
Him.  It  enthrones  that  book  in  every  lodge  room,  and  tells 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  177 


its  craftsmen,  in  legend  and  song,  that  all  the  rectitudinal  lines 
for  character-building  are  to  be  found  therein.  Freemasonry 
brings  us  before  the  great  light  and  says:  "There  is  the  basis 
of  all  true  philosophy  and  science ;  you  are  as  free  in  your 
choice  of  churches  and  creeds  as  in  your  political  choices ;  be 
honest,  and  choose  the  path  that  will  bring  you  nearest  to  God." 
If  this  is  not  a  phase  of  that  true  religion  that  helps  God-ward, 
then  the  scholars  must  invent  a  new  definition.  No,  my  broth- 
ers, we  have  not  established  false  claims.  We  have  set  forth 
only  what  we  have  received.  He  who  demurs  must  take  ex- 
ception to  the  fathers. 

CONCLUSION. 

Now,  in  closing,  allow  me  to  say  that  nowhere  is  freemas- 
onry inconsistent  with  its  teaching  of  the  immutable  laws  of 
cause  and  effect.  Nowhere  is  it  implied  that  passing  from  ap- 
prenticeship to  mastership  is  the  sum  total  of  religious  acquisi- 
tion. Freemasonry  declares  that  to  be  a  worthy  craftsman  its 
solemn  rites  must  find  a  correspondence  in  one's  life.  It  boldly 
affirms  that  only  he  who  does  well  will  receive  the  well  done. 
Freemasonry  is  not  a  gibberish  of  empty  phrases — it  is  a  life ; 
a  life  in  which  God  dwells,  and  out  of  which  profanity  and  un- 
chastity  have  been  cast,  and  from  which  proceed  deeds  and 
words  that  stand  the  square  and  plummet. 


12 


BIOGRAPHICAL- 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  179 


KD\VARD  B. 


Brother  Rowe  traces  his  genealogy  to  English  ancestry,  as 
there  were  two  families  of  Rowes  among  the  early  settlers  of 
this  country;  one  locating  in  Maine,  and  the  other  in  Farm- 
ington,  Connecticut,  he  being  in  line  of  descent  from  the  latter. 
His  grandfather,  Isaiah  Rowe,  had  three  sons,  the  youngest 
named  Chauncey,  who  was 'father  to  Edward  B.  His  mother 
was  a  Bailey,  from  Lebanon,  Connecticut,  so  that  the  subject 
of  this  sketch  is  thoroughly  Connecticut  stock  of  the  genuine 
yankee  species. 

Brother  Rowe  was  born  in  Utica,  state  of  New  York,  Sep- 
tember 6,  1834,  where  he  remained  only  a  few  years.  At  an 
early  age  he  became  a  resident  of  Colchester,  Conn.,  where  he 
received  his  education,  graduating  from  Bacon  Academy  in 
that  village,  preparatory  to  entering  a  collegiate  course,  with 
the  view  of  following  a  profession,  but  being  inclined  to  mer- 
cantile pursuits,  he  removed  to  New  London,  Conn.,  and  en- 
gaged in  the  general  merchandising  business  in  the  employ  of 
Mr.  J.  N.  Harris. 

In  1856  he  went  to  Muscatine,  Iowa,  remaining  two  years, 
but  by  urgent  solicitation  from  his  old  employer  he  was  per- 
suaded to  return  to  New  London,  and  entered  the  old  firm  as 
an  equal  partner.  While  residing  in  Muscatine,  Iowa,  brother 
Rowe  made  the  acquaintance  of,  and  established  a  friendship 
with  Past  Grand  Master  Ansel  Humphreys  who  has  been  a 
prominent  figure  in  the  masonry  of  Iowa.  Brother  Humph- 
reys was  a  Connecticut  boy,  and  made  a  mason  in  Village 
Lodge,  No.  29,  in  1818,  then  located  at  Canton.  He  presided 
over  the  first  convention  of  delegates  assembled  to  organize 
the  Grand  Lodge  of  Iowa,  and  drafted  the  constitution  which 
remained  almost  entirely  unchanged  for  many  years. 


180  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


It  was  the  influence  exerted  by  brother  Humphreys  dur- 
ing this  companionship,  that  prompted  brother  Rowe  to  more 
active  labor  in  the  masonic  field,  and  led  him  into  those  activi- 
ties which  have  distinguished  him  as  a  craftsman  in  Connecti- 
cut, where  he  has  so  zealously  and  successfully  labored. 

In  1871  brother  Rowe  established  a  house  in  Boston,  and 
in  1879  associated  himself  with  the  New  York  &  New  England 
railroad  as  general  transfer  agent  and  forwarder,  where  he  has 
remained  until  the  present  time. 

Brother  Rowe  was  made  a  freemason  in  Union  Lodge,  No. 
31,  of  New  London,  Conn.,  October  11,  1856,  having  just 
passed  his  22d  birthday;  was  elected  Secretary,  December  16, 
1858,  and  in  December,  1865,  was  elected  Worshipful  Master, 
serving  one  year.  In  the  spring  of  1867  he  dimitted  from 
Union  Lodge  and  became  a  charter  member  of  Brainard  Lodge, 
No.  102,  which  was  organized  in  New  London,  June  11,  1867. 
In  the  charter  he  was  nominated  as  the  first  Worshipful  Master, 
and  continued  to  serve  in  the  office  until  1873. 

He  was  exalted  to  the  Royal  Arch  degree,  in  Union  Chap- 
ter, No.  7,  November  25,  1862 ;  received  in  Cushing  Council, 
No.  4 ;  and  knighted  in  Palestine  Commandery,  No.  6,  April 
13,  1864. 

In  the  Grand  Bodies  of  masonry  he  has  found  the  Grand 
Lodge  to  be  most  in  sympathy  with  his  temperament,  and  in 
the  interest  of  the  blue  lodge  he  has  exerted  his  influence  and 
the  best  faculties  of  his  nature,  ever  with  much  earnestness  and 
fullness  of  heart.  He  was  appointed  Deputy  Grand  Lecturer 
for  the  county  of  New  London,  in  1867,  and  served  two  years ; 
also  appointed  Grand  Marshal  in  1866.  In  1871  he  was 
elected  Grand  Junior  Warden,  serving  three  years  ;  then  Grand 
Senior  Warden,  serving  two  years ;  and  January  20,  1876,  was 
elected  Grand  Master,  serving  two  years. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  181 


His  rare  executive  ability  and  magnetic  presence,  combined 
with  a  tenacity  of  purpose,  were  sources  of  strength  during  his 
administration,  which  was  very  successful  and  satisfactory.  He 
immediately  instituted  a  system  of  inspection  of  the  subordinate 
lodges,  being  convinced  that  a  greater  necessity  existed  in  ex- 
ercising a  closer  watch-care  and  guardianship  over  them.  At 
the  close  of  his  first  official  year  he  recommended  the  appoint- 
ment of  District  Deputies,  but  the  Grand  Lodge  at  that  time 
failed  to  recognize  the  necessity.  His  aim  was  ever  to  maintain 
the  dignity  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  and  of  masonry,  administering 
all  the  duties  of  office  with  impartiality,  laying  aside  all  con- 
sideration of  self  whenever  duty  demanded,  without  regard  to 
any  personal  conflict  that  might  follow. 

In  the  Masonic  Charity  Foundation,  of  Connecticut,  he 
has  been  from  its  inception,  one  of  its  most  earnest  sup- 
porters. He  became  a  charter  member  when  it  was  organized 
as  a  corporation,  and  elected  Vice-President  and  a  member  of 
the  Board  of  Managers. 

In  all  his  duties  he  has  held  the  esteem  and  confidence 
of  the  Grand  Lodge  and  the  craft  in  Connecticut.  Pos- 
sessing rare  social  qualities,  a  good  organizer  with  keen  and 
quick  perception  and  good  judgment,  he  has  been  enabled  to 
exert  an  influence  that  but  few  possess,  and  hold  his  acquaint- 
ance in  the  line  of  fraternal  friendship,  filling  a  large  place  in 
the  hearts  of  his  brethren,  where  he  has  found  many  of  his 
most  cherished  and  enduring  friends. 

He  was  Chairman  of  the  General  Committee  to  arrange 
for  the  Celebration  of  the  first  Grand  Lodge  Centennial,  where 
his  executive  ability  found  ample  scope,  resulting  in  abundant 
success. 


182  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


REV.  JOHN  w.  RICHARDSON. 


Brother  Richardson  was  born  in  Boston,  Massachusetts, 
January  12,  1854,  where  he  received  a  good  education  in  the 
grammar  and  English  High  Schools  of  the  city. 

At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  entered  into  active  business  life, 
and  by  close  application  was  promoted  to  a  responsible  posi- 
tion in  one  of  the  largest  houses  in  Boston,  and  it  had  been 
thus  far  his  purpose  to  continue  in  the  activities  of  business 
during  life. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-two  he  was  converted,  which  was  the 
cause  of  changing  the  course  he  had  marked  out  for  himself, 
and  shortly  after  he  prepared  for  the  ministry.  He  commenced 
his  studies  with  Rev.  Duncan  MacGregor,  D.  D.,  and  then  en- 
tered the  Baptist  Theological  Seminary  at  Newton,  Massachu- 
setts. At  the  end  of  the  course  he  was  ordained  at  Mystic, 
Connecticut,  December,  1,  1880,  and  entered  into  a  very  suc- 
cessful career  in  the  ministry,  occupying  some  of  the  most  im- 
portant pulpits  in  the  denomination  of  which  he  is  a  member. 
For  three  years  he  was  stationed  at  Waterbury,  and  during  that 
period  nearly  two  hundred  and  fifty  united  with  the  church, 
many  of  the  new  converts  belonging  to  the  masonic  fraternity. 

It  was  during  his  sojourn  in  Waterbury  that  he  was  made 
a  mason  in  Harmony  Lodge,  No.  42,  and  greatly  influenced  to 
take  the  step  by  one  of  the  deacons  of  his  church,  who  was 
also  a  member  of  the  craft. 

For  the  past  three  years  he  has  been  stationed  at  Stam- 
ford, Connecticut,  and  during  that  time  something  like  two 
hundred  additions  can  be  reported  as  the  result  of  his  labor  in 
that  place. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  183 


He  is  enthusiastic  in  his  love  of  freemasonry  as  revealed  to 
him  in  the  blue  lodge  only;  and  its  teachings  and  symbolisms 
are  recognized  as  a  means  of  elevating  and  strengthening  the 
mind  in  its  search  after  divine  truths,  which  is  manifest  in  the 
centennial  oration  published  in  this  volume,  and  another  de- 
livered at  the  dedication  of  the  new  masonic  hall  in  Waterbury, 
and  published  in  the  proceedings  of  the  Grand  Lodge.  The 
teachings  of  freemasonry  are  woven  and  blended  into  his  daily 
life  and  character,  and  in  connection  with  those  higher  attain- 
ments bestowed  by  sincere  and  zealous  labor  in  his  profession, 
have  prompted  such  beautiful  expressions  in  his  writings. 


184  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


REV.  JOHN   T.  PETTEE,   A.  M. 


Brother  Pettee  is  the  third  son  of  Tyler  and  Esther  M. 
Pettee;  born  in  the  town  of  Sharon,  Norfolk  county,  Massa- 
chusetts. After  acquiring  his  primary  education  he  entered 
Wesleyan  University,  at  Middletown,  Connecticut,  and  gradu- 
ated therefrom  in  the  class  of  1843. 

In  1844  he  joined  the  New  England  Conference  of  Ministers 
of  the  M.  E.  Church,  and  was  ordained  deacon,  May  3,  1846, 
by  Bishop  Waugh ;  and  elder,  by  the  same  bishop,  April  9, 
1848.  During  a  period  of  about  ten  years,  from  1844,  he  was 
stationed  as  pastor  over  several  churches  in  Massachusetts, 
when,  in  1858,  he  withdrew  from  the  New  England  Conference 
and  the  membership  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  and  formed  an  in- 
dependent Methodist  society  in  Dorchester,  and  served  as  its 
pastor  until  1866,  when  he  removed  to  Meriden,  Connecticut, 
where  he  has  since  resided  and  reunited  with  the  M.  E.  Church. 
He  has  since  been  teaching,  preaching,  lecturing,  and  employed 
in  literary  pursuits. 

In  1876  he  was  elected  Judge  of  Probate  for  the  District 
of  Meriden,  and  has  been  a  member  of  the  Board  of  School 
Visitors  most  of  the  time  since  1877  ;  superintendent  of  schools 
from  1877  to  1881,  and  from  1887  to  1890. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  American  Association  for  the 
Advancement  of  Science  ;  has  been  Vice-President  of  the  Meri- 
den Scientific  Association,  from  its  organization  in  1880,  and 
director  of  its  astronomical  section,  for  the  same  period. 

Having  a  fondness  for  poetry,  he  has  published  a  few 
poems,  among  which  may  be  named  a  "  Centennial  Poem,"  de- 
livered at  Foxborough,  Mass.,  June  29,  1878;  "St.  Elmo"  and 
"The  Temple,"  read  before  St.  Elmo  Commandery,  No.  9, 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  185 


Knights  Templars ;  "  Prayer  and  Potatoes,"  being  part  of  a 
charity  sermon  preached  at  Dorchester,  and  several  lesser 
poems,  religious,  masonic,  and  patriotic ;  also,  the  "  Masonic 
Centennial  Poem,"  published  in  this  volume,  and  delivered  at 
the  one  hundredth  anniversary  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connec- 
ticut. During  the  last  twenty-four  years  he  has  not  been  a 
settled  pastor  over  any  church,  but  has  officiated  very  fre- 
quently as  a  spare  hand  in  the  ministry. 

Brother  Pettee  became  a  mason  in  Meriden,  and  received 
his  third  degree  in  Center  Lodge,  No.  97,  in  1866.  The  fol- 
lowing year  he  became  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows,  and  afterwards  was  exalted  in  Keystone  Chapter, 
No.  27,  Royal  Arch  Masons.  November  20,  1870,  he  was 
created  a  Sir  Knight  in  St.  Elmo  Commandery,  No.  9,  and 
has,  since  1871,  most  acceptably  filled  the  office  of  Prelate  in 
that  body. 

The  ancestors  of  Brother  Pettee  were  Quakers,  hence  they 
never  have  become  distinguished  in  the  army,  being  averse  to 
war,  and  lacking  the  spirit  that  was  brought  into  exercise  dur- 
ing the  revolutionary  period.  It  may  be  said  of  this  society, 
that  their  opinions  regarding  war  and  slavery  have  entered 
into,  and  remain  a  leavening  agency  in  the  great  body  of 
Christendom. 

Brother  Pettee  is  an  enthusiastic  lover  of  freemasonry,  and 
especially  the  order  of  Knights  Templars,  they  being  infused 
with  that  spirit  of  fraternity  so  congenial  to  one,  who,  by  nature 
and  early  training,  would  enter  into  the  companionship  of  a 
society  that  never  lighted  a  faggot  nor  forged  a  chain. 

Being  somewhat  impulsive  by  nature,  he  enters  into  his 
likes  with  much  enjoyment  and  sunshine.  He  is  a  lover  of  the 
antique  and  fond  of  the  old  poets,  and  is  an  ardent  admirer  of 
the  poems  of  James  G.  Percival,  Jr.,  which  have  become  so 


186  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


very  rare.  He  has  a  grand  conception  of  nature  in  all  its  en- 
vironments, and  is  a  devoted  student  of  astronomy  and  history. 
His  friendships,  when  once  formed,  are  warm  and  ardent ; 
but  cant  and  hypocrisy  find  no  place  in  his  nature.  His  views 
are  liberal,  and  formed  only  after  sober  reflection,  become  stead- 
fast ;  not  crusted  in  by  creeds  of  men,  nor  tainted  with  supersti- 
tion, recognizing  more  the  spirit  than  the  letter  of  the  law. 
Among  his  associates  he  has  a  social  bearing,  and  his  devotion 
to  masonry  is  prompted  by  that  charitable  sentiment  that  rep- 
resents the  best  principles  of  the  masonic  institution. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  187 


KKV.  BEVERLEY  ELLISON  WARNER. 


Brother  Warner  was  born  in  Jersey  City,  N.  J.,  on  the  14th 
of  October,  1855.  He  attended  boarding-school  most  of  the 
time  until  1872,  when  he  entered  Princeton  College,  remaining 
two  years.  The  following  January  he  entered  Trinity  College, 
(Hartford,  Conn.,)  where  he  completed  his  course  in  1876. 

After  preparing  for  holy  orders  at  the  Berkeley  Divinity 
School,  Middletown,  Conn.,  he  began  ministerial  work — and  is 
now  in  his  fourth  pastorate  in  Bridgeport,  Conn.  From  boy- 
hood up,  brother  Warner  has  had  a  fondness  for  literary  work, 
writing  continuously  for  college  journals  and  New  York  news- 
papers while  at  Princeton  and  Trinity,  and  on  taking  up  his 
ministerial  labors,  he  entered  with  much  earnestness  into  liter- 
ary service ;  contributing  to  the  Christian  Union,  The  Church- 
man, the  Church  Magazine,  and  the  Sunday  Afternoon,  and  later, 
Good  Company,  and  the  Hartford  Courant,  of  which  Mr.  C.  D. 
Warner  is  one  of  the  editorial  staff. 

He  also  wrote  in  1878,  a  long  paper  against  the  sale  of 
pernicious  literature,  which  was  issued  in  a  pamphlet  in  1884; 
a  history  of  St.  Mary's  Parish,  Manchester,  Conn.,  another 
pamphlet;  and  in  1885,  a  novel  entitled  Troubled  Waters :  "A 
Problem  of  To-day,"  published  by  the  J.  B.  Lippincott  Com- 
pany, of  Philadelphia.  "A  Memoir  of  Ella  M.  Baker,"  accom- 
panying an  edition  of  that  writer's  poems  issued  by  D.  Lathrop 
&  Co.,  of  Boston.  Mr.  Warner's  sermon  publications,  includ- 
ing a  discourse  in  memory  of  Miss  Baker,  in  the  Springfield 
Republican,  Bridgeport  Standard,  New  York  Churchman  and 
other  papers — numbering  about  a  dozen,  and  including  some 
of  the  most  noteworthy  addresses  of  the  day  from  our  young 
clergyman. 


188  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


In  1886,  Trinity  College  conferred  on  our  brother  the  M. 
A.  degree — honoris  causa. 

He  is  also  Chaplain  of  the  Fourth  Regiment  Connecticut 
National  Guard. 

Brother  Warner  was  made  a  mason  in  Corinthian  Lodge, 
No.  104,  of  Bridgeport,  and  is  the  Chaplain  of  the  lodge ;  also 
a  member  of  Jerusalem  Chapter,  No.  13,  of  Bridgeport.  During 
the  centennial  year  he  held  the  office  of  Grand  Chaplain,  and  is 
the  Grand  Representative  of  the  Grand  Chapter  of  California, 
near  the  Grand  Chapter  of  Connecticut. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  189 


Brother  Fred  Hemingway  Waldron  was  born  in  Buffalo, 
New  York,  March  14,  1840,  and  came  to  Connecticut  in  1847 
with  his  parents.  He  attended  the  public  schools  until  twelve 
years  of  age,  when  he  was  sent  to  a  boarding  school  in  Oxford, 
Conn.,  and  subsequently  to  Wheeler's  Academy,  at  Norwalk, 
Conn.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  went  to  Davenport,  Iowa, 
where  he  was  employed  on  the  Mississippi  &  Missouri  Railroad 
until  1859,  when  he  returned  to  New  Haven  and  went  into  the 
employ  of  the  New  York  &  New  Haven  Railroad  Company, 
remaining  a  year. 

At  the  breaking  out  of  the  civil  war,  he  enlisted  in  the 
Fourth  Connecticut  Volunteers,  the  first  regiment  in  the  United 
States  that  volunteered  for  three  years.  The  regiment  was 
afterwards  changed  to  the  First  Connecticut  Volunteer  Artillery. 
Brother  Waldron  served  out  his  term  of  enlistment,  and  was 
honorably  discharged  near  Petersburg,  Va.,  in  1864,  having 
participated  in  eleven  battles;  and  after  three  years'  service, 
returned  to  his  home  and  former  business. 

In  1870  the  position  of  Clerk  of  the  Board  of  Public 
Works,  of  the  city  of  New  Haven,  was  tendered  him,  which 
position  he  accepted,  and  has  continued  to  fill  the  same  to 
the  present  time,  having  been  elected  from  time  to  time  without 
regard  to  the  political  complexion  of  the  Board. 

Brother  Waldron  traces  his  ancestry  back  to  about  the 
year  1100,  to  Baron  Rudolph  Von  Waldron,  who  won  his  coat- 
of-arms  fighting  against  the  Turks  on  the  plains  of  Palestine ; 
and,  in  1156,  Richard,  son  of  Rudolph,  won  his  coat-of-arms 
for  valiant  services  in  the  field,  under  Henry  II,  who  was  the 
first  Plantagenet  who  sat  on  the  throne  of  England,  and  united 
the  Norman  and  Saxon  races. 


190  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


Copies  of  these  coats-of-arms  have  been  handed  down 
through  the  several  generations  to  the  present  time. 

In  this  country  brother  Waldron  traces  his  ancestry  back 
to  about  1646,  when  Baron  Resolve  Waldron  joined  the  staff  of 
Gov.  Peter  Stuyvesant  and  came  to  New  Amsterdam  (now  New 
York),  in  April,  1647.  The  Baron  continued  to  serve  the 
Dutch  government  during  Stuyvesant's  administration,  or  until 
1664. 

The  Baron  acted  as  ambassador  to  all  the  English  courts 
in  New  England,  Virginia  and  Baltimore,  he  being  a  good 
scholar. 

The  Baron  obtained  the  first  grant  from  Gov.  Stuyvesant 
for  New  Harlem,  in  1654,  and  established  the  first  ferry  and 
the  first  Dutch  church.  He  also  built  for  himself  in  1660,  a 
stone  mansion  on  East  River  (called  by  the  Dutch,  Helengat, 
or  rushing  waters),  and  was  in  good  repair  until  1870,  when  it 
was  taken  down,  having  stood  two  hundred  and  ten  years. 

Brother  Waldron  was  made  a  Master  Mason  in  Wooster 
Lodge,  No.  79,  while  home  on  a  furlough  from  his  regiment, 
March  13,  1863.  After  his  discharge  from  the  service  and  his 
return  home,  he  became  an  active  a^id  zealous  worker  in  the 
cause  of  masonry.  He  was  exalted  to  the  Royal  Arch  degree, 
in  Washington  Chapter,  No.  16,  of  Washington,  D.  C.,  April  14, 
1864 ;  and  received  the  degrees  of  the  Cryptic  Rite  the  same 
year.  After  his  discharge  from  the  army,  he  affiliated  with 
Franklin  Chapter,  No.  2,  Royal  Arch  Masons,  and  Harmony 
Council,  No.  8,  Royal  and  Select  Masters,  of  New  Haven, 
Conn. ;  and  was  created  a  Knight  Templar,  in  New  Haven 
Commandery,  No.  2,  August  20,  1869 — in  all  of  which  bodies 
he  still  holds  an  active  membership. 

In  1867  he  was  elected  Junior  Deacon  of  his  lodge  (that 
office  being  an  elective  one),  and  advanced  to  the  position  of 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  191 


Master  in  1871,  and  was  re-elected  in  1872,  serving  two  years. 
While  occupying  the  East,  he  was  one  of  the  committee  on  the 
new  Masonic  Temple  in  New  Haven,  and  was  the  first  to  con- 
fer the  degrees  therein. 

He  regularly  passed  through  the  chairs  of  Harmony  Coun- 
cil, No.  8,  Royal  and  Select  Masters,  serving  as  Thrice  Illus- 
trious Master  two  years  ;  and  also  in  New  Haven  Commandery, 
serving  as  Eminent  Commander  two  years. 

During  his  masonic  life  he  has  also  been  actively  con- 
nected with  all  the  Grand  Bodies  of  the  State.  In  1875  he  was 
elected  Most  Puissant  Grand  Master  of  Royal  and  Select  Mas- 
ters ;  in  1883,  Grand  Master  of  Masons ;  and  in  1886,  Grand 
Commander  of  Knights  Templars ;  and  has  been  for  a  number 
of  years  one  of  the  Trustees  of  the  Grand  Chapter. 

He  is  a  charter  member  of  the  Ancient  and  Accepted 
Scottish  Rite  bodies  in  New  Haven ;  has  received  the  thirty- 
third  degree,  and  is  an  honorary  member  of  the  Supreme  Coun- 
cil for  the  Northern  Jurisdiction.  He  has  been  elected  as  pre- 
siding officer  of  all  the  bodies  of  this  rite  in  New  Haven. 

He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Masonic  Mutual  Ben- 
efit Association  of  New  Haven,  now  nearly  seventeen  years  old, 
and  the  largest  in  New  England,  and  has  been  its  secretary 
since  its  formation. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  and 
Past  Commander  of  the  Post  of  which  he  is  a  member,  Admiral 
Foote,  No.  17,  and  an  earnest  and  zealous  member  of  that  or- 
ganization, exerting  a  great  influence  there,  as  in  all  other  soci- 
eties with  which  he  is  connected. 

Unlike  the  majority  of  masons  who,  after  receiving  the  high- 
est honors  in  the  power  of  their  brethren  to  bestow,  retire  from 
active  masonic  life,  brother  Waldron  still  maintains  an  active 
interest  in  all  the  bodies  of  which  he  is  a  member,  and  in  what- 


192  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


ever  position  he  is  placed  he  never  ceases  to  labor  for  the  inter- 
ests of  the  craft,  nor  fails  to  show  his  love  and  devotion  for  the 
principles  of  masonry. 

He  is  courteous  in  manner,  quick  in  perception,  voice  well 
modulated,  delivery  graceful,  and  in  general  he  is  gifted  with 
those  talents  which  constitute  a  successful  presiding  officer. 

He  is  an  honest,  upright  citizen,  and  as  a  member  of  soci- 
ety and  every  relation  of  life,  his  influence  is  sought  for  and  felt. 
He  wastes  no  time  in  idleness,  is  thoroughly  systematic,  and  in 
whatever  he  undertakes  perseveres.  His  intimacies  are  not 
hastily  formed,  but  when  once  made  are  never  sundered. 

His  family  consists  of  a  wife  and  five  children,  four  boys 
and  one  girl,  to  whom  he  is  devoted.  In  his  household,  hos- 
pitality is  a  marked  feature,  and  those  who  know  him  best  can 
testify  to  his  liberality,  courtesy  and  attention  to  his  guests. 
He  discharges  well  the  duties  of  domestic  life  and  is  faithful  to 
the  trusts  which  rest  upon  the  husband  and  father. 

Brief  and  imperfect  as  this  sketch  is,  we  have  shown  that 
he  is  worthy  of  the  honors  which  have  been  conferred  upon  him 
by  his  brethren.  He  is  one  who  is  noble-minded,  generous  to 
a  fault,  genial,  kind-hearted  and  benevolent,  earnest  in  his  con- 
victions, and  never  hesitating  to  express  opinions  freely,  may 
sum  up  the  traits  in  the  character  of  our  brother.  B.  L.  A. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  193 


ARTHUR  B.  CALEF. 


Brother  Arthur  Benjamin  Calef  is  of  English  extraction, 
tracing  his  ancestry  through  five  generations  to  Robert  Calef, 
who  came  from  England  to  Boston,  Massachusetts,  in  1688, 
where  he  became  a  merchant,  and  died  in  Roxbury,  Massachu- 
setts, April  13,  1719. 

Robert  Calef  was  the  author  of  a  work  entitled  "  More 
Wonders  of  the  Invisible  World,"  which  was  written  in  reply  to 
one  of  the  works  of  Cotton  Mather,  an  American  colonial  di- 
vine, born  at  Boston  in  1663,  entitled,  "Wonders  of  the  Invisi- 
ble World,"  he  having  investigated  the  phenomenon  of  "  Salem 
Witchcraft"  and  eagerly  advocated  the  adoption  of  desperate 
remedies  for  the  so-called  diabolical  disease.  The  witchcraft 
mania  raged  with  peculiar  intensity  in  the  colonies  of  New 
England,  and  the  clergy  were  the  prime  movers,  resulting  in  the 
execution  of  nineteen  persons,  who  were  hanged  in  Salem  in 
1692,  and  one  pressed  to  death;  and  the  executions,  torturings 
and  imprisonments  rose  to  such  a  height  as  to  be  no  longer 
endurable,  and  a  complete  revulsion  of  public  feeling  took 
place,  and  the  delusion  was  broken. 

The  work  written  by  Robert  Calef,  and  published  in  1700, 
is  said  by  most  writers  to  have  exerted  more  influence  than  any 
other  agency  in  breaking  the  witchcraft  delusion  in  New  Eng- 
land. Its  publication  made  a  profound  sensation,  and  so  com- 
pletely stirred  up  the  heresy  that  Increase  Mather,  the  father 
of  Cotton  Mather,  a  colonial  divine,  and  for  sixty-two  years 
pastor  of  the  North  Church  in  Boston,  and  president  of  Har- 
vard College,  caused  Robert  Calef's  book  to  be  publicly  burned 
in  the  college  yard. 

13 


194  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


General  Joseph  Warren,  who  was  killed  at  the  battle  of 
Bunker  Hill  in  1775,  was  the  great-grandson  of  Robert  Calef, 
while  another  great-grandson,  Dr.  John  Calef,  was  surgeon  and 
chaplain  to  the  British  forces  that  occupied  eastern  Maine  dur- 
ing the  Revolutionary  struggle.  Brother  Calef  traces  his  ances- 
try on  his  mother's  side  to  Lieutenant  Ebenezer  Eastman,  of 
Sanbornton,  New  Hampshire,  who  served  in  the  army  of  the 
Revolution,  and  grandfather  to  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  \\lio 
was  born  at  Sanbornton,  Belknap  County,  New  Hampshire, 
June  30,  1825. 

After  receiving  his  primary  education,  he  prepared  for  col- 
lege at  the  New  Hampshire  Conference  Seminary,  Tilton,  New 
Hampshire,  and  entered  the  Wesleyan  University,  at  Middle- 
town,  Connecticut,  in  1847,  and  graduated  therefrom  in  1851. 

In  1852  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  Middlesex  County, 
Connecticut,  and  has  been  in  extensive  practice  in  the  State 
and  United  States  courts.  From  1853  to  1861  he  served  as 
clerk  in  the  courts  of  Middlesex  County.  In  the  city  govern- 
ment of  Middletown  he  has  been  called  into  active  service,  s'erv- 
ing  as  a  member  of  the  Common  Council  in  1854  and  1855, 
and  alderman  in  1875  and  1876,  and  in  1855  and  1856  he  was 
Treasurer  of  the  State  of  Connecticut.  He  was  attorney  for  the 
city  of  Middletown  in  1858  and  1859  ;  a  delegate  to  the  National 
Republican  Convention  in  1860,  and  Postmaster  of  Middletown 
from  1861  to  1869.  From  1862  to  1866  he  was  president  of 
the  Alumni  Association  of  Wesleyan  University,  and  its  trustee 
from  1862  to  1880,  inclusive.  He  has  held  the  office  of  Judge 
of  the  city  court  of  Middletown  since  1884  ;  is  president  of  the 
Middletown  Gas  Light  Company,  and  a  director  in  several 
financial  institutions  in  Middletown,  also  president  of  the  in- 
corporated association  of  the  Xi  chapter  of  Psi  Upsilon  from 
1867  to  1877. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  195 


His  connection  with  freemasonry  began  in  1850,  when  he 
was  initiated,  passed  and  raised  in  St.  John's  Lodge,  No.  2,  at 
Middletown,  and  served  in  the  several  stations  of  Junior  Deacon, 
Senior  Deacon,  Junior  Warden  and  Senior  Warden.  He  was 
exalted  a  Royal  Arch  Mason  in  Washington  Chapter,  No.  6,  at 
Middletown,  in  1852. 

At  the  annual  communication  of  the  Grand  Lodge  in  1859, 
he  was  elected  Grand  Junior  Deacon ;  the  following  year, 
Grand  Senior  Deacon,  serving  two  years,  and  in  1862,  Grand 
Junior  Warden,  serving  two  years.  True  and  faithful  to  every 
trust,  his  obligations  to  society  and  freemasonry  have  been  dis- 
charged by  the  undeviating  rules  of  propriety  and  integrity. 
As  a  man,  he  is  unassuming  in  manner,  firm  and  inflexible  in 
principle,  honorable  in  action,  and  refined  in  his  sensibilities, 
sympathies  and  affections. 

In  the  formation  of  ideas  he  is  not  controlled  by  visionary 
or  shadowy  imaginations,  but  conclusions  must  be  reached  only 
through  legitimate  and  substantial  sources,  and  when  once 
formed,  become  fixed  and  immovable. 

In  Middletown,  where  he  has  spent  so  many  years  of  his 
active  life,  he  holds  the  respect  of  its  citizens  for  the  many 
sterling  qualities  that  mark  an  upright  man,  bringing  credit  to 
himself  and  honor  to  the  craft. 


106  THE    CENTENNIAL. 


JOHN    HARRIS    LEEDS. 


In  the  year  1680,  three  brothers  of  the  Leeds  family  emi- 
grated from  Leeds,  England,  and  located  in  New  England,  one 
settling  in  Stamford,  Conn.  Joseph  H.  Leeds  was  a  descend- 
ant of  the  latter,  and  resided  as  a  farmer  at  Leeds'  place,  in 
Darien,  where  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born,  March  4, 
1836. 

On  the  24th  of  June,  1849,  an  incident  occurred  that  de- 
termined the  course  of  his  life.  The  New  York  &  New  Haven 
Railroad  had  been  opened  but  a  few  months,  and  then  had  but 
a  single  track.  He  happened  to  be  on  its  line  at  a  cross-road 
between  Darien  and  Stamford,  when  he  heard  a  train  coming 
from  the  east.  He  knew  there  was  also  a  train  coming  from 
the  west,  although  it  was  hidden  from  view  by  a  deep  cut  and 
sharp  curve,  and  that  a  collision  was  inevitable  unless  he  could 
prevent  it.  In  an  instant  he  sprang  upon  the  track,  and  facing 
the  New  York  bound  train,  waved  his  hat  to  attract  the  atten- 
tion of  the  engineer,  and  then  bounded  to  one  side,  barely 
escaping  with  his  life;  and  as  the  train  went  thundering  by,  he 
shouted  to  the  engineer  "  that  another  train  was  coming  this 
way."  The  engine  was  reversed  and  whistled  down  brakes,  and 
then  blew  a  loud  and  long  alarm.  This  was  a  signal  for  the 
other  engineer,  who  in  turn  reversed  his  engine  and  whistled 
down  brakes,  just  in  time  to  stop  the  two  trains  when  only  a 
few  feet  apart,  thus  preventing  a  fearful  catastrophe  that  must 
have  otherwise  taken  place,  but  for  the  timely  forethought  and 
bravery  of  the  lad.  The  railroad  company,  acting  upon  their 
sense  of  obligation,  gave  him  a  free  pass  over  the  road,  good 
for  life,  and  also  presented  him  with  an  elegant  silver  goblet, 
suitably  inscribed.  Three  years  after,  he  removed  to  New 


tig  V  H*.C.XbevoetB  .M- 


THE    CENTENNIAL.  197 


Haven,  and  went  into  the  service  of  the  railroad  company  as  an 
apprentice,  to  learn  to  be  a  mechanical  and  constructing  en- 
gineer, advancing  through  all  the  departments. 

He  remained  in  their  employ  until  1860,  when  he  engaged 
with  The  Stamford  Manufacturing  Company,  as  superintendent 
and  consulting  engineer,  taking  charge  of  the  mineral  branch 
of  the  business,  it  being  the  oldest  and  largest  manufactory  of 
chemical  and  dyeing  extracts  in  the  United  States ;  and  has 
continued  with  this  corporation  until  the  present  time. 

In  1863  and  1864  he  was  Alderman,  and  for  two  years 
Assistant  Judge  of  the  City  Court  of  New  Haven.  For  many 
years  he  was  a  member  of  the  Volunteer  Fire  Department,  and 
became  on'e  of  the  first  Fire  Commissioners  under  the  new 
regime,  and  President  of  the  Board  for  about  fifteen  years. 

In  1879  and  1880  he  was  sent  to  the  legislature  as  the 
first  representative  for  New  Haven,  and  for  six  years,  to  1885, 
was  State  Director  of  the  Wethersfield  Penitentiary.  He  is  now 
a  director  of  the  Yale  National  Bank,  the  New  Haven  Savings 
Bank,  The  New  Haven  Water  Company,  and  managing  director 
of  the  Stamford  Manufacturing  Company,  in  whose  business 
much  of  his  time  is  spent  in  Europe  and  the  Orient.  He  is  a 
most  extensive  traveler,  the  nature  of  his  business  requiring 
him  to  go  to  places*  rarely  visited,  and  among  half-civilized 
and  rude  people.  Besides  every  country  in  Europe,  he  has 
visited  Asia  Minor,  Syria,  Northern  Egypt,  nearly  every  island 
of  the  Grecian  Archipelago,  all  the  cities  of  the  seven  churches 
of  Asia,  Tarsus,  Antioch,  Aleppo,  and  the  whole  of  Palestine. 
His  business  transactions  have  been  with  all  the  tribes  of  the 
Orient,  Turks,  Greeks,  Armenians,  Bulgarians,  Koords,  Bed- 
ouins, Arabs  and  Egyptians. 

By  nature  he  is  of  a  practical  and  serious  turn  of  mind, 
wasting  but  little  time  in  light  conversation  or  the  frivolities  of 


198  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


life.  His  religious  views  are  Episcopalian,  as  were  those  of  his 
ancestors  before  him,  and  he  is  an  ardent  freemason,  in  which  he 
finds  much  to  uplift  humanity,  and  has  often  pressed  the  hand 
of  a  brother  in  foreign  ch'mes,  and  recognized  the  mystic  lan- 
guage of  masonry  when  it  was  the  only  language  that  could  be 
understood,  and  has  found  true  brothers  among  almost  every 
people  he  has  visited,  and  sometimes  much  to  his  surprise. 

Brother  Leeds  was  made  a  mason  in  Wooster  Lodge,  No. 
79,  March  20,  1861,  and  May  22d,  following,  was  elected  Junior 
Deacon,  to  fill  a  vacancy ;  Senior  Deacon,  December  25,  1861 ; 
Junior  Warden,  December  24,  1862,  and  Worshipful  Master, 
July  26,  1865. 

At  the  annual  communication  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  in 
1864,  he  first  appeared  as  a  member  of  the  Committee  on 
Jurisprudence,  and  served  two  years  as  Grand  Marshal.  The 
activities  of  a  busy  life  in  mercantile  pursuits  calling  him  out 
of  the  country  much  of  the  time,  served  as  a  barrier  to  promo- 
tion to  those  higher  duties  for  which  he  is  eminently  fitted,  and 
which  would  no  doubt  have  fallen  to  his  lot,  had  it  not  been  for 
his  business  duties  abroad.  He  is  a  lover  of  the  fraternity  for 
what  it  is  capable  of  doing  for  humanity,  and  while  holding 
respect  for  the  so-called  higher  grades  and  rites,  has  never 
advanced  further  than  the  sublime  degree  of  master  mason. 


-=  'Banquet   and    ;£Post~ "Prandial. 3=- 


200 


THE   CENTENNIAL. 


^HYPERION    THEATER*:- 

Wednesday 


BANQUET   AT    KlQHT    O'CLOCK. 


N 


Little  Neck  Clams  (fine  ice). 
Decorated  Penobscot  Salmon  (a  la  Provincial). 

Boned  Turkey.  Roast  Lamb  (d'agneau).  Philadelphia  Capon. 

Fulton  Market  Tongues  (Steamboat  Style). 

Westphalia  Hani. 
Soft  Shell  Crabs  (aux  Ecaille). 

Crabs  (a  la  diable). 
Decorated  Lobster  (painted  plain  red). 

Sherbets. 
Salade  de  Volaille.  Lettuce  Salad  (denue). 

Lobster  Salad  (sans  Ecaille).  Shrimp  Salad. 

Salad  Rolls  (sans  Beurre). 

French  Sandwiches  (Jambon—  Langue). 

Wine  Jellies  (Fruit,  a  1'Oporto). 

Roman  Punch  (Jersey  Eclair). 


Fancy  Ices. 


Noir  Cafe. 


Oranges. 


Almonds. 

Bon  Bons. 


Fancy  Cakes  (assortis). 
MUMM'S  GKAXD  SEC. 

Fruits  Assortis. 

Bananas. 
English  Walnuts. 


Neapolitan  Cream. 


Lemonade. 


(Jrapo. 


Raisins. 
Fancy  Candies. 


Olives. 

Fancy  Pickles. 

\Vater  Crackers  and  Edam  Cheese. 
HEUBLEIN'S  <  HAM  i  I.I.OH  CIGARS. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  201 


POST-PRANDIAL. 

A.  W.  UOHN    H.  SWARTWOUT,  Grar^d  Aaster/ 

PRESIDING. 

R.  W.  OOHN  G.   ROOT,  Grar^d  Treasurer, 

TOAST  MASTER. 

Interspersed  with  Toasts  and  Responses,  the  following  Programme  was 

rendered  by  the  MENDELSSOHN  DOUBLE  QJLARTETTE,  of  Boston. 

CHORUS.                         Unfold  ye  Portals,    .        .        .        .  Gounod. 

SOLO.                                Queen  of  the  Earth,         .        .        .  Pinsute. 

Mr.  WANT. 

CHORUS.                          In  May  Time, Billeter. 

SOLO.                                The  Bridge,       ...        .        .        .  Lindsay. 

Mr.  WHITE. 

CHORUS.                           Comrades  in  Arms,           .        .        .  Adam. 

SOLO.                                 The  Roamer, Mendlessohn. 

Mr.  BABCOCK. 

CHORUS.                          The  Tear,  .        ...        .        .  Witt. 

WALTZ  SOXG,                 .  '      .        .        .        .        .        .        .  Vogtl. 


Tenors. 

Mr.  F.  W.  KNOWLES,  Mr.  J.  L.  WHITE, 

Mr.  C.  J.  BUFFAM,  Mr.  J.  K.  BERRY, 

Mr.  GEORGE  J.  PARKER,  Mr.  F.  C.  FAIRBANKS, 

Mr.  GEORGE  W.  WANT.  Mr.  D.  M.  BABCOCK. 

Mr.  LEON  REACH,  Accompanist. 


During  the  Banquet,  the  following  Musical  Programme  was  rendered  by 

COLT'S  ARMORY  BAND— J.  O.  CASEY,  Conductor. 

OVERTURE.                  Morning,  Noon  and  Night,              .        .  Suppe. 

SELECTION.                     Yeoman  of  the  Guard,         .        .        .  Sullivan. 

DANCE.                                         Ethiopia,     ,.'•'..        .        .        .  Seeves. 

GERMANS  BEFORE  PARIS, Trenkler. 

WALTZ.                                   Krolls  Ball  Klaug,    ....  Lumbye. 

ALBION  GRAND  FANTASIA, Saetens. 

On  Scotch,  Irish  and  English  Airs. 

POLKA.                                Two  Little  Bulfinches,         .        .        .  Kling. 

For  Piccolo  and  B  Flat  Clarionet. 

GRAND  SELECTION  FROM  FAUST, Gounod. 


202  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


POST-PRANDIAL. 


Most  Worshipful  Grand  Master  J.  H.  Swartwout  intro- 
duced the  Toast-master  as  follows  : 

Brethren  and  Illustrious  Visitors  from  sister  jurisdictions,: — 
In  opening  these  after-dinner  exercises,  I  may  say  that  we 
have  arrived  at  the  Root  of  the  matter ;  not  the  root  of  all  evil, 
but  one  whose  life  and  character  have  borne  the  tests  of  the 
Master's  square,  and  who  may  justly  be  termed  the  Square  Root. 
I  take  pleasure  in  introducing  the  Toast-master  of  the  evening, 
Right  Worshipful  Brother  John  G.  Root.  (Applause  and 
laughter.) 

RIGHT   WORSHIPFUL   BROTHER   JOHN    G.   ROOT. 

It  is  fitting  that  in  closing  a  period  memorable  to  the 
fraternity  of  this  State — the  celebration  of  the  one  hundredth 
anniversary  of  the  Grand  Lodge — that  we  should  have  pleasure 
in  listening  to  some  of  our  distinguished  guests  who  are  present 
'with  us  to-night,  and  I  give  the  first  sentiment : 

"  Our  country,  sweet  land  of  liberty.  Its  glorious  supports  are  Wis- 
dom, Strength  and  Beauty." 

It  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  introduce  to  you  Most  Wor- 
shipful Thomas  J.  Shryock,  Grand  Master  of  Maryland. 

RESPONSE    BY    MOST   WORSHIPFUL   THOMAS    J.    SHRYOCK. 

Most  Worshipful  Grand  Master,  Worshipful  Toast-master  and 
Brethren : — The  only  pleasure  that  I  enjoy  at  this  moment  is  that  I  am 
considered  a  distinguished  guest,  according  to  the  remarks  of  the 
brother  Toast-master.  The  orator  of  the  day  has  truly  said  that 
masonry  was  not  an  accident,  but,  unfortunately  for  me,  in  being  called 
upon  to  respond  to  this  toast,  I  feel  that  I  am  an  accident,  as  I  am  acci- 
dentally dropped  into  a  place  to  respond  to  a  toast  in  the  place  of  one 


THE    CENTENNIAL.  203 


who  was  exactly  the  man  to  handle  the  subject,  and  who,  unfortunately 
for  me,  as  well  as  for  all  of  you,  was  taken  suddenly  ill,  and  is  therefore 
unable  to  perform  the  duty  assigned  to  him.  I  refer  to  Grand  Master 
MacCalla,  of  Pennsylvania.  In  consequence  of  this,  I  am  called  upon, 
without  any  notice  whatever,  to  respond  to  a  toast  of  unusual  magni- 
tude. I  think,  however,  that  I  may  say  with  truth,  that  from  the  first 
time  I  was  called  upon  in  a  juvenile  debating  society  during  my  school 
days,  up  to  the  present  time,  there  was  never  a  moment  when  I  could 
not  say  a  word  for  my  country ;  and,  Most  Worshipful  Sir,  after  an  ex- 
tended trip  abroad,  where  I  closely  studied  the  institutions  of  other 
lands,  I  am  to-day  better  prepared  to  speak  for  my  own  country  than 
ever  before,  because  these  observations  confirm  me  in  the  belief  that 
America  is  the  best,  the  greatest  and  fairest  country  on  the  face  of  the 
earth. 

The  supports  of  our  country :  wisdom,  strength  and  beauty — the 
language  cf  the  toast — I  take  to  refer  to  the  part  freemasonry  took  in 
the  formation  of  the  government  of  our  country.  And,  surely,  masonry 
can  claim  a  large  share  of  the  credit  that  is  due  to  our  forefathers  in  the 
building  up  of  this  great  and  glorious  republic.  Almost  all  the  signers  of 
the  Declaration  of  Independence  were  freemasons  ;  the  first  President  of 
the  United  States,  George  Washington,  was  a  freemason,  and  had  the 
wisdom  to  preside  over  his  country  in  a  manner  which  made  his  name 
the  household  word  of  every  true  American.  Throughout  the  whole 
history  of  our  country  the  work  of  the  masonic  fraternity  has  largely  in- 
fluenced the  shaping  of  the  laws  for  the  government  of  the  land.  The 
most  prominent  men  connected  with  the  arts  and  sciences,  with  the 
church,  with  the  courts,  with  the  legislative  bodies  of  our  country,  have 
been  prominently  connected  with  our  order.  Many  of  the  Presidents 
of  the  country  have  deemed  it  an  honor  and  a  privilege  to  have  their 
names  enrolled  on  our  lodge  records,  and  it  was  largely  owing  to  the 
lessons  taught  them  in  the  masonic  lodge  that  they  worked  and  toiled 
as  they  did  to  build  on  a  firm  foundation  the  civil  and  religious  liberties 
of  our  country.  Am  I  claiming  too  much  when  I  say  that  I  believe  free- 
masonry to-day  stands  as  the  only  barrier  against  the  annihilation  of 
these  same  civil  and  religious  liberties  that  our  forefathers  wrought  so 


204  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


well  to  build  up?  I  think  not.  I  believe,  my  brethren,  that  there  are 
but  two  secret  societies  in  the  world  :  one,  the  Church  of  Rome,  and 
the  other,  the  society  of  Free  and  Accepted  Masons.  One,  banded  to 
suppress  the  civil  and  religious  liberties  of  the  people  ;  the  other,  stand- 
ing as  the  bulwark  between  that  organization  and  the  total  annihilation 
of  the  precious  gifts.  What  rich  gifts,  my  brethren,  in  the  shape  of  civil 
and  religious  rights,  have  these  seed,  sown  by  our  forefathers,  brought 
to  us  as  a  fraternity  and  as  a  people.  Have  you,  for  a  moment,  thought 
from  whence  the  stream  flows  that  will  constantly  irrigate  these  seed 
and  cause  them  to  spring  into  fresh  life  for  all  time  to  come  ?  If  not, 
let  me  suggest  to  you  that  it  is  our  unequalled  and  unexcelled  public 
school  system.  And  should  we  not,  therefore,  as  freemasons,  stand  like 
a  wall  of  adamant  between  the  attacks  of  the  Church  of  Rome  and  this 
same  public  school  system  ?  Could  the  freemasons  of  America  have  a 
nobler  ambition  than  to  be  the  protectors  of  the  public  school  system, 
and  thus,  by  educating,  almost  guarantee  a  continuance  for  generations 
to  come  of  the  civil  and  religious  liberties  which  we  now  enjoy. 

Thanking  you,  Most  Worshipful  Grand  Master,  for  calling  upon 
me,  permit  me  to  return  my  sincere  thanks  for  the  hospitable  and  fra- 
ternal welcome  which  we  have  received  since  our  arrival  in  your 
territories ;  at  the  same  time,  allow  me  to  indulge  the  hope  that  the 
next  one  hundred  years  of  history  made  by  your  Grand  Lodge  may  be 
as  brilliant  in  men,  deeds  and  actions  as  have  the  last. 

RIGHT   WORSHIPFUL   BROTHER   JOHN    G.    ROOT. 
"  Liberty  the  Boon  of  America  and  the  Shibboleth  of  Freemasonry." 

"The  love  of  liberty  with  life  is  given, 
Life  is  but  the  inferior  gift  of  Heaven.'' 

I  take  pleasure  in  introducing  Right  Worshipful  Brother 
Sereno  D.  Nickerson,  Grand  Secretary  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
Massachusetts,  to  respond  to  this  toast.  (Applause.) 

RESPONSE    BY    RIGHT    WORSHIPFUL     SERENO    D.     NICKERSON, 

GRAND    SECRETARY. 

Most  Worshipful  Grand  Master  and  Brethren  : — Your  orator  this 
afternoon  told  us  that  probably  few  persons  knew  the  share  that  free- 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  205 


masonry  had  in  forming  the  character  of  Washington.  I  think  I  may 
safely  say  still  farther,  that  few,  even  of  our  fraternity,  knew  the  share 
that  freemasonry  had  in  securing  the  liberties  of  this  country  !  (Loud 
applause.)  At  home  I  am  thought  to  be  somewhat  extravagant  on  this 
subject  •  I  certainly  delight  to  dwell  upon  it,  and  I  think  it  is  a  theme 
which  the  fraternity  may  generally  consider  and  reflect  upon  with 
advantage. 

Certainly  freemasonry  had  its  introduction  in  this  country  at  a  most 
fortunate  period.  I  regret  extremely  that  the  Grand  Master  of  Pennsyl- 
vania is  not  present.  We  claim  in  Massachusetts,  that  the  beginning  of 
organized  freemasonry  in  this  country  was  in  1 733,  on  authority  derived 
from  the  Grand  Master  of  England,  when  St.  John's,  or  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  Moderns,  was  established  in  Boston.  They  may  have  extem- 
porized a  lodge  in  Philadelphia  previous  to  that  time,  but  it  was  with- 
out warrant  from  constituted  authority.  That  was  the  lodge,  as  brother 
MacCalla  has  shown,  in  which  Benjamin  Franklin  was  made  a  mason. 
He  applied,  as  it  appears  from  the  ledger  of  that  lodge,  at  almost  the 
earliest  moment  at  which  he  could  apply  under  the  existing  regulations 
of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  England ;  in  that  day,  twenty-five  was  the  age. 
As  soon  as  Benjamin  Franklin  reached  that  age,  he  applied  to  the  lodge 
then  existing  in  Philadelphia,  and  was  made  a  master  mason,  and  was 
afterwards,  for  years,  very  active.  We  can  claim,  therefore,  as  has  been 
so  frequently  called  to  our  attention  to-day  and  as  we  shall  hear  it  often 
hereafter,  probably,  not  only  a  prominent  statesman,  the  father  of  his 
country,  but  also  one  of  the  greatest  philosophers  of  his  time.  Also  I 
may  claim  the  young  hero  who  was  Grand  Master  at  the  time  he  laid 
down  his  life  at  Bunker  Hill.  Joseph  Warren  was  appointed  by  the 
Grand  Master  of  Scotland,  Master  of  the  Ancient  Masons  of  Boston,  in 
1769,  when  he  was  only  twenty-eight  years  of  age;  he  was  only  thirty- 
four  when  he  died  at  Bunker  Hill.  During  that  period  there  had  been 
forty  meetings — every  one  of  which,  with  the  exception  of  four,  he  had 
attended.  Now  when  we  consider  his  youth,  his  profession  (doctor), 
his  intense  interest  in  the  struggle  which  was  then  breaking  out,  being 
actively  employed  on  the  committee  of  safety,  a  member  of  the  commit- 
tee of  correspondence  between  the  different  colonies,  and  the  various 


206  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


other  positions  which  he  held  ;  when  we  consider  all  these  things,  I 
think  the  fact  that  he  was  willing  to  give  so  much  attention  to  masonry, 
shows  that  he  thoroughly  appreciated  its  merits  and  value. 

Then  we  number  also  the  Marquis  Lafayette  with  our  fraternity. 
You  know  that  he  came  to  this  country  a  very  young  man  ;  that  he  gave 
up  all  things  to  struggle,  as  far  as  in  him  lay,  to  accomplish  the  liberties 
of  this  country.  It  is  said  that  Washington,  although  greatly  admiring 
him,  never  gave  him  an  independent  command  until  he  had  seen  him 
made  a  mason.  (Applause.)  Also  it  is  an  undoubted  fact  that  nearly  all 
the  signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  were  masons  !  The  first 
presiding  officer  of  the  Continental  Congress,  held  in  1774,  was  Peyton 
Randolph,  Grand  Master  of  Virginia;  his  successor  was  John  Hancock, 
who  was  also  a  mason  and  a  member  of  St.  Andrew's  Lodge,  of  Boston. 
You  are  familiar  with  the  fact  that  here  in  Connecticut,  most  of  the  rev- 
olutionary patriots  were  masons  :  David  Wooster,  who  brought  authority 
here  from  Boston  in  1750,  Pierpont  Edwards,  Israel  Putnam,  his  brother 
Rufus,  and  a  whole  catalogue  of  the  most  distinguished  worthies  in  this 
State ;  and  each  of  the  sister  States  can  produce  as  many  as  Massa- 
chusetts or  Connecticut. 

Considering  these  facts,  it  is  idle  to  say  that  the  masonic  fraternity 
had  nothing  to  do  with  the  securing  of  the  liberties  of  this  country.  I 
believe  that  to  the  influence  of  the  masonic  fraternity,  to  the  strong 
bond  which  it  formed  among  the  leaders,  distinguished  in  every  depart- 
ment, we  are  very  largely  indebted  for  the  success  of  the  struggle. 

It  is  true  that  all  the  masons  of  that  time  were  not  as  good  sol- 
diers as  General  George  Washington.  His  first  appearance  in  this  part 
of  the  country  was  in  1756 — only  four  years  after  the  disastrous  defeat 
of  Braddock,  when  he  came  to  Boston  for  the  purpose  of  meeting  Earl 
Loudon,  who  was  Commander-in-chief  of  the  British  forces  in  America, 
and  Governor  of  Virginia.  He  made  an  immense  success  in  New  York 
and  Boston,  and  of  course  in  the  rest  of  his  journey,  by  the  fine  horses 
he  brought,  his  horsemanship,  and  the  magnificence  of  his  dress,  which 
in  this  neighborhood  were  then  quite  wonderful  things.  It  is,  I  think, 
unnecessary  for  me  to  go  farther  into  the  recitation  of  this  history.  I 
think  we  shall  all  be  willing  to  admit  that  the  masonic  fraternity  was  a 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  207 


most  powerful  and  useful  influence  in  securing  the  liberties  of  this  glo- 
rious country.  It  has  been  the  good  fortune  of  many  of  the  masonic 
fraternity  in  this  part  of  the  country  in  recent  years,  to  contend  vigor- 
ously for  the  spread  of  liberty.  The  masonic  fraternity  is  always  and 
ever  has  been  on  the  side  of  liberty.  It  has  always  flourished  in  free 
countries ;  it  has  always  been  by  despots  despised  and  strangled.  It  is 
to-day,  as  you  know,  forbidden  in  Russia ;  it  is  scarcely  tolerated,  and  I 
think,  actually  forbidden  in  Austria ;  but  in  Hungary  meetings  are  per- 
mitted, and  it  is  quite  common  for  people  in  Austria  to  cross  the  line 
and  enjoy  the  privilege  of  the  masonic  meetings  held  in  Hungary. 

Brethren,  it  is  for  us  to  protect  the  liberties  which  have  been  trans- 
mitted to  us.  Liberty,  equality  and  brotherly  love,  are  sentiments  which 
are  familiar  to  the  masonic  fraternity  of  this  country,  and  God  grant 
that  they  may  always  remain  as  watch-words  with  us  !  (Applause.) 

RIGHT   WORSHIPFUL    BROTHER   JOHN   G.    ROOT. 

"  The  Church  and  Freemasonry.  The  one  leads  the  way,  and  the 
other  is  ever  pointing  thitherward ;  there  is  no  conflict  of  sentiment 
between  them." 

I  take  great  pleasure  introducing  Most  Worshipful  Brother 
Robert  M.  Moore,  Past  Grand  Master  of  New  Jersey,  to  respond 
to  this  toast. 

RESPONSE   BY   MOST   WORSHIPFUL   ROBERT   M.    MOORE. 

Mosl  Worshipful  Grand  Master,  Right  Worshipful  Brother  Toast- 
master,  Right  Worshipful  and  Worshipful Bro thers : — Why  a  represent- 
ative from  New  Jersey  should  be  called  upon  to  say  anything  about  the 
relations  existing  between  the  church  and  freemasonry,  I  know  not, 
save,  perhaps,  because  we  have  religious  seaside  resorts  where  our 
friends  from  Pennsylvania,  New  York  and  Connecticut  come  once  a 
year  to  be  made  good,  to  be  braced  up,  so  they  can  behave  themselves 
for  the  balance  of  the  year.  Unless  it  is  for  this  reason,  I  cannot  tell 
why  I  should  be  called  upon. 

While  sitting  here,  I  was  reminded  very  forcibly  of  the  wish  ex- 
pressed by  a  rising  young  politician  who  was  called  upon  to  speak  at 


208  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


the  opening  of  a  new  bridge.  You  are  all  familiar  with  the  story — it  is 
a  very  old  "  chestnut."  He  commenced  his  speech  by  saying,  "  Mr. 
Chairman,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen  : — Forty  years  ago  the  place  where  I 
now  stand  was  a  howling  wilderness."  He  had  forgotten  the  rest  of  his 
speech ;  tradition  says  his  best  girl  was  present,  and  she  embarrassed 
him.  He  repeated  the  sentiment,  "  Forty  years  ago,"  and  he  had  for- 
gotten the  rest  of  his  story  again.  He  commenced  the  third  time  and 
went  through  the  same  formula,  and  stopped  at  the  same  place,  but 
concluding  that  he  would  say  something,  added,  "  and  I  wish  from  my 
heart  it  was  a  howling  wilderness,  still."  (Laughter.) 

Now,  I  do  not  say,  my  brethren,  that  Connecticut,  one  hundred  years 
ago,  was  a  howling  wilderness.  At  that  time  you  organized  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  Connecticut  out  of  a  certain  number  of  subordinate  lodges. 
Now,  if  I  should  utter  the  inner  feeling  of  my  heart,  I  would  say  I  am 
sorry  you  ever  organized  the  Grand  Lodge,  since  I  have  to  speak.  I 
am  very  glad  to  be  here,  however.  I  am  convinced  that  my  brother 
Shryock  has  the  advantage  of  me.  I  think  he  knew  brother  MacCalla 
was  sick  three  or  four  hours  ago.  I  did  not  know  until  a  half  hour  ago 
that  brother  Wheeler  wanted  me  to  talk. 

The  best  relation  that  I  know  of  which  the  church  occupies  to  free- 
masonry is,  that  the  church  has  furnished  freemasonry  some  of  its  best 
men,  and  that  freemasonry  has  furnished  the  church  some  of  the  very 
best  members  to  be  found  within  its  fold. 

In  order  to  ascertain  the  true  relation  of  freemasonry  to  the  church, 
we  must  ask  first,  what  is  masonry  ?  If  you  will  allow  me  to  answer  this 
question  in  my  own  language,  I  will  say  that  masonry  is  a  moral  institu- 
tion of  human  origin,  founded  upon  the  rock  of  divine  truth  !  The  time 
of  its  origination  we  know  not.  Its  platform  is  the  fatherhood  of  God, 
and  the  brotherhood  of  man  ;  its  golden  rule,  that  we  should'  do  unto 
others  as  we  would  have  them  do  unto  us.  Its  teachings  :  the  duty  we 
owe  to  God,  our  neighbor  and  ourselves.  Brother  masons,  is  this  not 
real  masonry?  I  say  that  it  is.  We  make  no  war  on  creeds  of  any  sort ; 
creeds  or  denominations  are  unknown  within  our  walls.  (Applause.) 
To  all  who  enter  our  portals  we  give  the  Holy  Bible  as  the  great  light  of 
freemasonry,  as  the  rule  and  guide  to  their  faith  and  conduct ;  and  yet, 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  209 


while  freemasonry  is  all  this,  it  has  not  within  it  the  life-giving 
power,  it  cannot  cleanse  an  impure  past,  but  masonry  teaches  you  and 
me  the  duty  of  living  rightly  now.  Its  symbolism  teaches  us  to  prepare 
for  the  future — the  possibility  of  which  we  but  faintly  comprehend  ;  it 
leads  us  to  the  doors  of  religion's  temples,  there  to  enter  and  find  the 
way  of  life  and  salvation. 

Masonry,  to  the  careful  student  of  its  teachings,  leads  to  the  con- 
clusion, and  can  lead  to  but  one  conclusion,  viz. :  that  we,  of  ourselves, 
unaided  and  alone,  cannot  fulfill  all  the  masonic  requirements,  and  in 
this  sense,  masonry  is  "  religion's  hand-maid  ; "  it  is  the  servant  of  the 
church. 

I  do  not  claim  that  masonry  is  of  divine  origin,  and  do  not  travel 
back  to  where  some  of  our  masonic  friends  do,  and  find  the  first  lodge 
to  have  been  held  in  the  Garden  of  Eden,  (because  Adam  would  have 
had  difficulty  in  holding  a  lodge  all  by  himself.)  No  matter  how  much 
we  may  love  our  sisters,  yet  there  are  reasons  why  they  could  not  be 
made  masons.  Adam  would  have  held  his  lodge  all  by  himself— no 
cowans  or  eavesdroppers  would  have  troubled  him — he  could  have 
served  as  Worshipful  Master  and  Tyler  at  the  same  time.  (Laughter.) 

I  do  not  believe  masonry  goes  as  far  back  as  that,  but  I  believe  it 
is  only  short  of  divine.  It  embraces  humanity  in  its  thousand  social 
institutions,  and  binds  in  the  bond  of  a  noble  and  unselfish  friendship, 
men  of  all  races,  classes,  creeds,  climes  and  conditions ;  thus  encircling 
this  world  of  ours  with  a  girdle  of  brotherhood,  so  wherever  on  earth  a 
mason  goes,  he  finds  friends  in  every  land,  a  home  in  every  clime. 

Masonry  is  morality  emotionalized  ;  the  church  is  morality  vitalized, 
and  that  is  the  difference  between  one  and  the  other. 

I  love  masonry  as  I  love  life ;  it  has  been  my  close  study.  I 
have  been  delving  into  its  mysteries  and  learning  the  meanings  of  its 
symbolisms  these  nineteen  years.  But,  brethren,  masonry  is  only  the 
stepping-stone  to  something  greater  and  higher,  and  you,  my  dear 
brethren,  should  understand  that  the  "  grip  of  the  Lion  of  the  Tribe  of 
Judah  "  teaches  that  when  we  have  reached  the  highest  heights  of  ma- 
sonry, we  have  but  prepared  the  human  heart,  mind  and  thought  to 
14 


210  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


grasp  the  strong  hand  that  is  reached  down  to  raise  us  from  the  dead 
level  of  selfishness  and  corruption,  to  that  height  which  but  typifies 
what  religion  only,  can  accomplish  for  you  and  me.  There  is  no  strife 
between  the  two,  and  no  representative  Christian  man  should  point  the 
finger  of  scorn  at  masonry.  Masonry  has  been  in  the  van  of  every  great 
and  glorious  movement  that  has  ever  been  advanced  during  the  past 
one  thousand  years  for  the  elevation  of  humanity,  and  there  also  the 
church  is  and  has  been.  This  is  my  conception  of  the  relations  of 
masonry  and  the  church. 

The  story  which  I  am  going  to  tell  you  is  not  an  original  one ;  it 
belongs  to  New  Jersey,  however. 

Some  of  my  friends  have  said  to  me  "  Bob," — those  who  have  the 
privilege  call  me  "  Bob  " — those  who  wish  to  be  formal  say  "  Mr. 
Moore,"  and  to  the  fraternity  I  am  known  as  "  Brother  Moore."  Some 
of  my  friends  have  said  to  me,  "  Bob,  that  is  an  old  story."  I  realize 
that,  and  trust  you  will  pardon  the  repetition,  as  it  seems  to  so  aptly 
illustrate  the  point  I  wish  to  make. 

This  story  is  about  an  Irishman,  a  friend  of  mine,  who  used  to  have 
an  occasional  misunderstanding  with  his  wife.  When  Bridget  and 
Patrick  got  out  of  sorts  with  one  another,  the  furniture  in  their  room 
was  liable  to  travel  at  a  lively  rate  from  one  side  of  the  room  to  the 
other ;  that  is,  the  movable  furniture,  such  as  pokers,  rolling-pins,  stove- 
lifters,  chairs  and  such  like.  After  one  of  these  misunderstandings, 
when  Patrick  was  tired  out  and  Bridget  used  up,  they  both  sat  down, 
one  on  each  side  of  the  room.  They  had  a  dog  and  a  cat  in  that  small 
family,  and  the  dog  and  the  cat,  being  accustomed  to  the  state  of  things, 
would  retire  whenever  they  found  a  storm  brewing.  (Laughter.)  They 
returned  on  this  occasion,  as  usual,  nestled  themselves  snugly  in  the 
corner,  and  were  sleeping  peacefully.  As  Bridget  was  recovering  her 
breath,  her  gaze  fell  upon  the  household  pets.  "  Pat !"  "  What  is  it, 
Bridget?"  "  Do  you  see  the  dog  and  the  cat,  there  ;  how  comfortably 
they  are  lying  together?  Pat,  why  can't  you  and  I  keep  the  peace  just 
as  well  as  Toby  and  Jerry?"  Pat  replied  :  "  Bridget,  just  tie  them  to- 
gether, and  then  see  how  they  will  agree."  (Laughter.) 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  211 


The  church  is  doing  its  work  along  its  line,  and  doing  it  well,  each 
year  increasing  its  force,  power  and  usefulness.  And  so  is  masonry, 
but  tie  the  church  and  masonry  together  and  see  how  they  would  get 
along.  (Laughter.) 

I  am  sorry  brother  MacCalla  is  not  here  ;  I  like  to  see  Massachusetts 
and  Pennsylvania  tied  together  once  in  awhile.  (Laughter.)  We  never 
discuss  the  question  of  the  oldest  lodge  (we  New  Jersey  folks),  Most 
Worshipful,  but  we  think  Pennsylvania  has  the  best  of  it,  and  we  claim 
to  be  impartial.  There  is  one  thing,  though,  neither  Pennsylvania  nor 
Massachusetts  dare  deny,  and  that  is,  that  on  the  sacred  soil  of  New 
Jersey  there  dwelt  the  first  Grand  Master  that  ever  wielded  the  gavel  in 
these  United  States ;  and  what  is  more,  we  claim  that  on  the  sacred  soil 
of  New  Jersey  Lafayette  was  made  a  mason  at  Morristown.  I  am  a 
good  distance  from  my  home ;  my  lodge,  brethren,  is  Washington 
Lodge,  of  Elizabeth.  In  my  lodge  are  the  square  and  compasses  on  which 
I  was  made  a  mason,  and  on  which  we  claim  the  hands  of  Lafayette 
rested  when  Washington  made  him  a  mason.  Now,  where  are  Pennsyl- 
vania and  Massachusetts  compared  with  New  Jersey  ?  (Loud  applause.) 

Excuse  me  for  having  taken  up  so  much  of  your  time. 

RIGHT   WORSHIPFUL   BROTHER   JOHN    G.    ROOT. 

"  Our  Soldier  Freemasons ;  immortal  examples  of  patriotic  virtue 
and  imperishable  models  of  exalted  worth.  The  living  seed  of  future 
heroes  is  in  their  dust !" 

The  brother  who  will  respond  to  this  sentiment,  served  in. 
the  army  and  is  a  representative  to  Congress  from  the  First 
Congressional  District,  Hon.  W.  Edgar  Simonds. 

RESPONSE   BY   HON.   W.    EDGAR   SIMONDS. 

I  have  heard  it  said,  that  in  making  an  after-dinner  speech,  it  is 
necessary  to  the  attainment  of  the  highest  success,  that  the  speaker 
should  say  nothing  whatever  about  the  toast  that  is  given  him.  If  this  be 
true,  it  must  also  be  true  in  the  attainment  of  any  measure  of  success. 
However  that  may  be,  you  must  excuse  me  if  I  tell  you  a  true  story  of 
the  Civil  War,  with  which  freemasonry  has  something  to  do. 


212  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


From  1858  to  1861  a  man  by  the  name  of  Captain  Ireland  com- 
manded a  little  craft  which  brought  coal  from  Trenton,  in  New  Jersey, 
to  Hartford,  Conn.  At  the  beginning  of  the  war  he  bought  an  eighth 
interest  in  a  vessel  of  two  hundred  and  sixty  tons  burden,  and  became 
her  master.  After  a  time  he  bought  another  eighth  interest  and  owned 
a  quarter  of  this  little  schooner,  which  carried  five  men,  with  Captain 
Ireland ;  his  son  being  the  first  mate.  Immediately  after  the  capture 
of  Hatteras.  Inlet,  which  was  in  the  earliest  stages  of  the  war,  Captain 
Ireland  took  a  cargo  of  stores  from  New  York  to  Hatteras.  A  great 
storm  forced  him  to  take  shelter  in  Egg  Harbor,  off  the  coast  of  New 
Jersey,  with  sixty  other  vessels,  and  among  them  a  United  States  gun 
boat.  In  the  daytime,  while  he  lay  there  at  anchor,  a  man  passed  him 
(in  a  boat)  by  the  name  of  Beel,  who  hailed  him  and  asked  what  kind 
of  a  cargo  he  carried,  and  for  what  port  bound?  Captain  Ireland 
truthfully  replied,  "Union  stores  for  Hatteras  Inlet."  That  night  he 
was  awakened  with  a  revolver  placed  at  his  head  and  told  to  go  on 
deck — being  cautioned  not  to  make  the  slightest  sound,  on  pain  of 
death.  Beel  and  his  companions  had  made  their  way  on  board  and 
bound  the  three  men  in  the  forecastle,  and  then  captured  the  captain 
and  his  son  in  the  cabin.  The  next  morning,  with  a  revolver  still  at  his 
head,  Captain  Ireland  was  forced  to  take  the  little  craft  out  to  sea,  and 
then  Beel  took  the  little  craft  into  Norfolk,  Va.  They  took  the  schooner 
themselves,  and  turned  the  captain  and  his  son  over  to  the  rebel  author- 
ities. For  a  little  while  Captain  Ireland  was  kept  a  prisoner  at  Norfolk 
and  Richmond,  and  for  more  than  two  years  at  Florence,  where,  by  pro- 
cess of  starvation,  he  was  reduced  to  little  more  than  a  living  skeleton. 

He  was  a  freemason  and  had  a  masonic  ring  with  square  and  com- 
passes on  it,  but  which  he  had  worn  with  the  seal  towards  the  palm  of  his 
hand,  for  fear  of  its  being  taken  from  him.  A  detective  in  the  confeder- 
ate service  passing  through  the  room,  saw  the  seal  and  had  a  little  conver- 
sation with  the  captain,  from  which  he  found  him  to  be  a  freemason. 
The  confederate  lieutenant  said  to  him:  "You  have  no  business  to  be 
a  prisoner  here;  would  you  like  to  be  free?"  "God  knows  I  would," 
replied  the  captain.  And  it  was  then  and  there  agreed  that  he  should 
escape.  According  to  the  arrangement,  at  a  given  time  he  walked 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  213 


boldly  up  to  the  sentry,  where  a  conversation  something  like  this  took 
place.  "Why  did 'nt  you  do  that  task?"  " I  did  not  have  time."  "I 
will  see  whether  you  have  time  or  not."  Other  guards  were  met  and 
as  successfully  passed.  The  captain  was  permitted  to  take  a  friend  with 
him.  Outside  they  found  water  and  provisions,  and  cried  like  children 
ere  they  found  strength  to  partake  of  the  unexpected  good  fortune. 
After  resting  themselves  for  a  time  in  a  haystack,  they  started  North 
and  kept  alongside  of  the  railroad,  as  directed,  for  about  four  or  five 
days.  Hunger  overtaking  them,  they  entered  one  house  and  asked  for 
food,  and  were  driven  from  it  by  a  woman  !  Hunger  again  compelling 
them  to  seek  food,  they  applied  to  another  house.  "You  are  runaway 
Union  soldiers,"  said  the  woman  •  they  were  too  weak  and  exhausted  to 
deny  the  charge.  "All  right,"  she  said;  "Get  down  here  quick,"  and 
she  closed  a  trap-door  over  them  and  stood  upon  it.  There  were  no 
less  than  eight  other  escaped  Union  soldiers  in  this  cellar,  all  of  whom 
at  last  succeeded  in  reaching  the  Union  lines. 

Captain  Ireland  says,  as  he  tells  this  story  :  "  When  I  first  saw  that 
woman,  tall,  angular,  raw-boned,  she  seemed  to  me  the  homeliest  woman 
I  had  ever  seen ;  but  when  she  conducted  us  to  a  path  through  the 
forest,  gave  us  some  provisions  and  bid  us  God-speed,  and  on  looking 
around  as  we  passed  out  of  sight,  we  saw  her  standing  there  in  the 
moonlight,  she  seemed  to  me  like  a  glorified  angel,  and  as  such  I  have 
ever  since  remembered  her. 

Now,  what  freemasonry  did  for  Captain  Ireland  and  his  friend,  it 
has  been  doing  for  thousands  upon  thousands  of  other  men  of  all  nation- 
alities, through  hundreds  of  years  and  in  every  clime.  Comrades  of 
all  sorts  and  conditions  have  rendered  such  services  in  camp  and  court, 
and  on  fields  of  carnage.  George  Washington,  Joseph  Warren,  Woos- 
ter,  and  Israel  Putnam  were  types  of  such.  Its  great  glory  is,  that  it  is 
doing  its  work  as  quietly  as  the  charity  which  the  scripture  enjoins.  Its 
charity  and  mercy  have  done  much  to  alleviate  the  horrors  of  war,  and 
its  presence  has  been  like  the  attendance  of  women,  and  like  the  dews 
of  Heaven.  The  masonic  element  in  the  Union  army  was  a  surprise  ; 
no  matter  what  arm  of  the  service,  infantry,  cavalry  or  artillery,  he  upon 
whose  eyes  had  shone  the  light  that  shines  from  the  East,  found  himself 


214  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


among  friends  and  brothers.  (Applause.)  Our  toast-master,  here,  was 
one  of  those,  and  there  are  unquestionably  many  others  within  the 
sound  of  my  voice. 

But  freemasonry  does  not  teach  war  nor  the  arts  of  war ;  it  teaches 
peace  and  the  arts  of  peace.  Still  there  was  not  a  battlefield  of  the 
Civil  War  where  the  stars  and  stripes  did  not  float  over  freemasons,  and 
there  was  not  a  battlefield  without  Masonic  blood.  Masonry  teaches 
not  war  nor  the  arts  of  war ;  it  teaches  peace  and  the  arts  of  peace ;  it 
teaches  those  principles  and  precepts  which  have  been  advocated  by 
sages  and  philosophers  ever  since  the  stars  of  morning  sang  together ; 
but  it  teaches  patriotism. 

Freemasons,  as  I  understand  them  one  and  all,  are  of  those  who 
look  and  long  for  the  coming  of  that  time  when  all  men  shall  dwell 
together  as  brethren  in  unity,  but  until  the  coming  of  that  blessed  con- 
dition, there  will  never  be  a  time  when  this  toast  which  has  been  given 
to  me,  will  not  be  remembered. 

"  Our  soldier  freemasons.  Immortal  examples  of  patriotic  virtues 
and  imperishable  models  of  exalted  worth.  The  living  seed  of  future 
heroes  and  patriots  is  in  their  dust."  (Applause.) 

RIGHT   WORSHIPFUL   BROTHER   JOHN    G.    ROOT. 
The  next  sentiment  is  one  which  I    have   no   doubt  will 
meet  with  a  ready  response  from  every  mason  present. 

"  Our  oldest  lodge — Old  Hiram,  No.  i,  once  more  united  in  the 
bonds  of  fraternal  fellowship.  '  Behold  how  good  and  how  pleasant  it 
is  for  brethren  to  dwell  together  in  unity.'  " 

RESPONSE   BY   HERBERT   E.   BENTON,    WORSHIPFUL    MASTER, 
HIRAM    LODGE,   NO.    1. 

Most  Worshipful  Grand  Master  and  Brethren  :  Upon  a  memor- 
able occasion  like  this,  I  feel  it  a  matter  of  sincere  regret  that  some 
older,  if  not  belter  mason,  should  not  have  been  selected  to  respond 
for  "  the  oldest  ledge."  Yet  I  make  no  apology  for  possible  shortcom- 
ings, for  I  am  here  in  obedience  to  orders,  and  obedience  to  superiors 
is  one  of  the  fundamental  principles  of  our  fraternity.  Finding  myself 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  215 


here  under  orders  to  "stand  and  deliver"  in  behalf  of  "  Old  Hiram,"  I 
feel  in  duty  bound  to  obey,  leaving  the  responsibility  for  my  selection 
upon  the  shoulders  of  those  who  have  seen  fit  to  assume  it. 

I  am  somewhat  in  doubt  as  to  what  I  should  say  in  reference 
to  the  toast.  There  is  much  that  might  be  said  and  some  things 
that  I  feel  ought  to  be  said.  I  might  point  out  to  you  how  much  signifi- 
cance there  is  in  the  expression,  "  the  oldest  lodge."  Antedating  in  its 
origin,  as  "Old  Hiram"  does,  the  declaration  of  independence  by  a 
quarter  of  a  century,  with  her  record  of  regular  communications  stretch- 
ing nearly  four  decades  back  of  the  anniversary  we  are  to-day  celebrat- 
ing, standing  confessedly  as  one  of  the  oldest,  if  not  the  oldest,  civic 
organization  in  our  entire  commonwealth  ;  her  history,  eventful  at  times 
and  interesting  always,  affords  an  attractive  field  for  the  display  of  anni- 
versary oratory.  But  I  am  not  here  to  attempt  any  display  of  this  kind. 
I  am  not  here  to  vaunt  the  glories  of  "  Old  Hiram."  I  am  here, 
rather,  to  tell  "you  with  how  much  satisfaction,  and  with  how  much 
joy,  the  oldest  lodge,  "Old  Hiram,"  No.  i,  realizes,  that  she  is  once 
more  within  the  fold,  once  more  united  in  the  bonds  of  fraternal  fel- 
lowship ;  to  tell  you  how  solid  and  yet  how  lively  is  her  apprecia- 
tion of  the  sentiment  of  this  toast.  "Old  Hiram"  has  tasted  to  her 
fill  of  the  bitterness  of  discord.  She  has  experienced  enough  of  the 
evils  of  dissension,  and  she  hails  with  heartfelt  joy  the  dawn  of  this, 
for  her,  new  and  better  era.  She  desires,  on  this  memorable  anni- 
versary, to  publicly  renew  the  obligations  she  entered  into  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty-nine  years  ago,  to  which  obligations,  I  feel  it  but 
her  just  due  to  say,  she  has  ever  faithfully  endeavored  to  remain 
true  and  steadfast ;  and,  in  addition,  to  renew  her  pledge  of  loyalty  to 
that  grand  body  which  she  helped  to  organize  just  one  hundred  years 
ago  to-day,  and  to  express  an  earnest  hope  that  the  difference  of  the 
past  three  years  may  never  be  renewed.  In  giving  expression  to  the 
satisfactign  felt  by  "  Old  Hiram,"  over  the  settlement  of  these  differ- 
ences, I  should  fail  in  an  important  duty  did  I  neglect,  here  and  now,  to 
publicly  return  thanks  in  behalf  of  the  brethren  of  the  lodge,  to  those 
who  have  been  instrumental  in  securing  the  settlement.  And  first  to 
you,  Most  Worshipful  Grand  Master,  I  desire  to  tender  the  thanks  of 


2W  THE    CENTENNIAL. 


Hiram  Lodge,  No.  i,  and  with  them  an  expression  of  the  heartfelt 
appreciation  of  its  members  of  your  just  consideration  of  their  wishes, 
your  eminent  fairness,  and  your  unvarying  courtesy.  And  to  you,  Most 
Worshipful  Deputy  Grand  Master,  I  would  also  return  thanks,  not  only 
for  your  services  in  securing  reconciliation,  but  for  your  self  sacrificing 
labors  in  effecting  complete  restoration.  And  to  the  Grand  Secretary, 
and  to  the  other  brothers  here  and  elsewhere,  who  have  so  nobly  borne 
their  share  in  the  work  of  reconciliation,  "  Old  Hiram  "  returns  her 
heartiest  thanks,  and  trusts  that  the  time  will  not  be  far  distant  when 
she  will  have  an  opportunity  to  express  her  gratitu  Je  in  a  more  substan- 
tial way.  I  desire  to  assure  you  my  brothers,  that  "  Old  Hiram  "  appre- 
ciates all  that  has  been  done  for  her,  and  is  to-day  looking  hopefully  to 
the  future,  inspired  by  a  thorough  confidence  that  anything  that  may  be 
needed  to  complete  the  work  of  reconciliation  so  fraternally  begun,  will 
certainly  be  accomplished  in  that  same  spirit  of  generous  good-will  that 
has  characterized  the  work  thus  far. 

There  is  much  more  that  might,  and  perhaps  ought  to  be  said  on 
this  point,  but  I  will  not  take  up  your  time.  I  desire  however,  in  clos- 
ing, to  express  in  behalf  of  my  lodge  a  feeling  of  deep  gratitude  for  the 
many  expressions  of  good  will  that  have  been  uttered  here  to-day,  and 
to  say  to  the  brethren  that  though  estranged,  "  Old  Hiram's  "  heart 
never  beat  warmer,  and  her  devotion  to  the  craft  was  never  more  fervent 
than  it  is  to-day.  I  desire  to  thank  the  committee  of  arrangements  for 
the  honors  conferred  upon  "  Old  Hiram  "  in  connection  with  this  anni- 
versary festival,  and  especially  for  this  opportunity  of  expressing  the 
sentiment  that  fills  her  heart  to-day.  I  am  sorry  that  some  older  and 
better  qualified  member  of  "  Old  Hiram  "  could  not  have  been  selected 
to  express  this  sentiment,  while  at  the  same  time  assuring  you  that  how- 
ever lame  and  halting  have  been  my  words,  they  could  not  have  been 
uttered  by  one  animated  more  ardently  by  a  desire  to  have  the  differ- 
ences of  the  past  obliterated,  and  to  have  that  spirit  of  fraternity  so  joy- 
ously displayed  to-day,  grow  and  expand  until  even  the  memory  of  the 
bitter  past  shall  have  gone  beyond  recall  never  to  be  revived  this  side 
of  the  grave. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  217 


RIGHT   WORSHIPFUL    BROTHER   JOHN    G.    ROOT. 

"The  Grand  Lodge  of  Utah." 

I  take  pleasure  in  introducing  the  Grand  Secretary  of 
Utah,  Right  Worshipful  Brother  Christopher  Diehl,  to  respond 
to  this  toast. 

RESPONSE    BY   CHRISTOPHER    DIEHL,    GRAND    SECRETARY. 

As  a  speaker  I  have  always  been  a  failure.  My  work  in  the  field 
of  masonry  has  always  been  with  the  pen,  and  I  hope  it  will  continue  so. 
Whether  it  has  been  acceptable  to  the  fraternity  or  not,  I  leave  the  fra- 
ternity to  judge.  1  can  assure  you  that  no  one  among  you  is  a  more 
truly  loyal  mason  than  I  am,  and  never  was  there  a  moment  that. this 
feeling  in  my  heart  was  more  prominent  than  since  I  have  left  my 
mountain  home,  traveling  through  this  vast  country,  seeing  its  beautiful 
cities,  its  wonderful  streams,  and  its  waving  cornfields.  It  is  the  grand- 
est sight  that  one  can  behold,  and  one  must  be  a  stranger  to  all  manner 
of  feeling  who  is  not  inspired  by  patriotism. 

The  Grand  Lodge  of  Utah  is  small ;  for  in  a  territory  of  200,000 
population,  there  are  but  four  hundred  and  fifty  masons  and  seven 
lodges,  because  we  are  surrounded  by  an  element  antagonistic  to  the  true 
principles  of  freemasonry.  We  are  surrounded  by  material  that  can  never 
become  freemasons ;  by  men  who  are  not  and  never  have  been  in  sym- 
pathy with  our  principles.  I  have  been  asked  by  some  of  the  brethren 
"  how  many  wives  I  had  at  home  ?"  Brethren,  a  mason  in  Utah  is  the 
same  as  here,  and  when  you  grasp  a  good  mason  by  the  hand,  you  may 
be  sure  that  he  has  but  one  wife,  because  a  man  who  has  two  wives  could 
not  be  admitted  to  a  lodge  in  this,  or  any  other  city  of  our  country,  be- 
cause he  is  a  law-breaker  and  opposed  to  the  laws  of  his  country.  This 
Mormon  element  is  one  reason  why  our  lodges  in  Utah  are  so  small. 

Allow  me  to  thank  you  for  the  honors  you  have  heaped  upon  me 
during  my  short  stay  in  your  beautiful  city,  and  1  can  assure  you  that 
this  is  one  of  the  most  glorious  moments  of  my  life.  I  am  glad  to  be 
with  you  brethren,  glad  to  take  you  by  the  hand ;  and  I  cannot  more 
appropriately  close  than  by  saying,  that  I  have  always  striven  to  be  a  good 
mason,  and  shall  so  strive  in  the  future ;  and  to  be  a  good  mason  is  a 
worthy  ambition  for  any  man  ! 


218  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


RIGHT  WORSHIPFUL  BROTHER  JOHN  G.  ROOT. 
"  The  Old  Bay  State ;  we  honor  her  for  our  ancestry." 

It  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  introduce  to  you  Most 
Worshipful  Brother  Henry  Endicott,  Grand  Master  of  Massa- 
chusetts. 

RESPONSE    BY    MOST    WORSHIPFUL    HENRY    ENDICOTT, 
GRAND    MASTER. 

It  is  with  especial  pleasure  that  your  masonic  brethren  have  come 
here  to-day  to  share  in  a  celebration  at  once  so  delightful  and  so 
full  of  significance.  It  is  good  to  see  such  a  gathering  of  masons  from 
different  parts  of  our  country,  and  to  feel  one's  self  a  part  of  this  great 
institution,  devoted  to  noble  aims  and  united  in  a  common  brother- 
hood. It  is  good  to  look  into  the  faces  of  brothers  from  different  states 
and  to  feel  that  we  are  one  in  thought  and  endeavor,  and  I  believe  that 
we  shall  go  back  to  our  homes  with  more  faith  in  ourselves  and  in  our 
work  for  having  been  here.  The  world  seems  richer  to  us,  and  life  bet- 
ter worth  living  as  we  find  these  friends  of  the  heart,  and  recognize  in 
the  stranger  a  brother. 

We  have  listened  to-day  with  much  interest  to  the  historical  ad- 
dress, the  poem  and  the  oration  which  has  reviewed  so  admirably  the 
events  of  the  past  one  hundred  years,  and  has  brought  before  our  vision 
the  days  of  past  generations.  Surely,  no  one  can  study  the  history  of 
freemasonry  in  this  country,  and  trace  its  course  from  the  small  begin- 
nings through  the  trying  times  of  the  Revolution,  filled  with  their  tales 
of  sacrifice  and  devotion — again  through  the  mistrust  of  the  anti-masonic 
excitement,  where  moral  courage  and  personal  integrity  were  our  only 
weapons  of  defense  ;  no  one,  I  say,  can  trace  its  course  up  to  the 
present  prosperity  without  a  thrill  of  gratitude  for  the  past,  and  the 
earnest  wish  to  transmit  this  heritage  of  honor  unstained  to  the  future. 

Looking  backward  through  the  chance  and  change  of  one  hundred 
years,  the  retrospect  is  indeed  pleasing,  and  if  we  look  forward  to  read 
the  signs  of  the  future,  the  prospect  is  encouraging.  The  early  strug- 
gles of  our  order,  as  of  the  nation,  are  over,  and  masonry  is  established 
on  a  firm  foundation. 


THE    CENTENNIAL.  219 


It  is  a  pleasure  to  remember  to-day  the  cordial  relations  which  have 
so  long  existed  between  the  Grand  Lodges  of  Connecticut  and  Massa- 
chusetts, and  the  brotherly  greetings  which  I  bring  to  you  are  but  a  re- 
newed expression  of  sentiments  which  have  long  animated  our  hearts. 

Kindly  thoughts  are  with  us  from  many  who  would  gladly  have 
been  here  in  person,  and  many  are  the  good  wishes  sent  for  your  peace 
and  prosperity.  Let  me  express,  in  closing,  in  behalf  of  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  Massachusetts,  the  confident  hope  that  the  hundred  years 
just  past,  rich  as  they  have  been  in  blessing,  are  but  the  promise  of 
another  century  of  usefulness  and  honor. 

RIGHT   WORSHIPFUL   BROTHER   JOHN    G.    ROOT. 

"  New  York ;  the  largest,  and  one  of  the  brightest  fixed  stars  in 
the  masonic  firmament." 

Allow  me  to  introduce  to  you  Most  Worshipful  John  W. 
Vrooman,  Grand  Master  of  the  State  of  New  York. 

RESPONSE   BY    MOST    WORSHIPFUL   J.  W.  VROOMAN. 

Most  Worshipful  Sir  and  Brethren : — I  am  not  like  the  Horatius 
at  the  bridge,  which  was  constructed  a  few  moments  ago  by  "  Brother 
Moore,"  or  "Mr.  Moore,"  or  "  Bobby  Moore,"  as  I  am  not  embarrassed, 
for  the  reason  that  my  best  girl  is  not  present,  and  the  Connecticut 
brethren  have  been  so  mistrustful  and  ungenerous  that  they  have  not 
introduced  me  to  a  single  girl  since  I  have  been  here.  I  am,  however, 
brethren,  laboring  under  a  temporary  disadvantage,  which  I  can  best 
illustrate  by  a  brief  anecdote. 

Some  years  ago  my  friend  here,  ex-Governor  Waller,  was  a  country 
pedagogue,  and  once  upon  a  time  punished  a  naughty  boy.  As  the  lad 
was  behind  the  school-house  crying  and  sulking,  he  was  accosted  by  a 
hunter,  who  asked  him  if  there  was  any  game  in  that  part  of  the  coun- 
try. He  said,  "  Yes,  big  game.  Please  go  around  to  the  front  of  the 
school-house  and  shoot  the  teacher." 

And  so,  brethren,  I  am  afflicted  in  having  before  me,  the  Great 
American  Pencil  Pusher,  the  Stenographer,  who  has  taken  advantage  of 
this  moment  to  punish  me,  and  inflict  my  remarks  upon  a  long-suffering 


220  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


fraternity.  Now,  if  any  one  had  a  gun,  I  would  advise  shooting  him. 
If  he  had  any  hair  on  his  head,  I  would  pull  it  out,  and  thus  get  even 
with  him  ;  and  for  fear  that  I  may  be  tempted  to  stab  him  with  a  fork, 
I  will  move  away  from  his  glittering  eyes  and  incomprehensible  pot- 
hooks. 

Brethren,  I  am  the  victim  of  a  base  conspiracy. x  When  the  note  of 
invitation  came,  it  stated  that  this  banquet  was  to  be  a  most  informal 
kind  of  gathering,  and  I  came  to  this  "  City  of  Bass  Woods,"  thinking 
to  partake  of  your  bass  wood  hams  and  wooden  nutmegs.  I  certainly 
did  not  expect  to  find  an  elaborate  spread,  nor  did  I  expect  to  find  an 
elaborate  system  of  toasts.  I  understood  that  the  old  toast  of  our  Irish 
friend  had  been  assigned  me  : 

"  Here's  to  you,  as  good  as  you  are, 

And  here's  to  me,  as  bad  as  I  am, 
Yet  good  as  you  are,  and  bad  as  I  am, 
I'm  as  good  as  you  are,  bad  as  I  am." 

Most  Worshipful  Sir.  in  being  selected  to  respond  to  the  toast  an- 
nounced by  Right  Worshipful  Brother  Root,  I  feel  somewhat  like 
another  Irishman  : 

The  Grand  Master  of  Maryland  is  a  farmer,  and  our  Irish  friend 
applied  to  him  for  work.  As  Pat  stood  in  the  door  looking  about  the 
room,  his  eyes  fell  on  a  bright  little  baby  lying  in  its  cradle  near  the 
door.  Now,  as  some  of  you  may  know,  there  is  an  operation  in  the 
harvesting  of  grain  called  "  cradling."  When  Pat  was  offered  a  position 
to  assist  in  the  "  cradling,"  he  looked  at  the  baby  lying  before  him,  and 
said  in  rather  a  pleading  tone,  "  Sure,  sir,  would  you  just  as  soon  give 
me  some  work  out  of  doors?"  (Laughter.)  And  thus,  as  I  have 
listened  to  the  distinguished  brethren  this  evening,  to  their  flights  of 
eloquence,  and  correct  narration  of  masonic  history,  I  should  prefer, 
just  now,  some  work  out  of  doors  for  myself.  (Laughter.) 

A  truce  however  to  this  pleasantry.  Most  W'orshipful  Sir,  I  regret 
my  inability  to  fitly  respond  to  the  toast  assigned  me.  "  The  Grand 
Lodge  of  New  York — the  largest  and  one  of  the  brightest  fixed  stars  in 
the  masonic  firmament."  As  an  humble  representative  of  that  Grand 
Body,  I  bear  its  cordial  and  fraternal  congratulations,  its  heartfelt  inter- 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  221 


est  in  and  prayerful  desire  for  the  continued  prosperity  of  that  other 
brilliant  fixed  star  in  the  masonic  firmament — the  Grand  Lodge  of  Con- 
necticut. We  rejoice  with  you  in  your  splendid  achievements  of  a  cen- 
tury just  passed,  and  predict  even  more  glorious  results  in  the  century 
to  come.  This  celebration  of  your  Centennial  will  surely  bring  closer 
fraternal  relations,  promote  harmony  and  good  fellowship,  elevate  senti- 
ment all  over  the  State  in  favor  of  the  craft,  and  give  you  new  hopes 
afid  promises  for  the  future.  I  confidently  predict  this  in  the  light  of 
experience. 

Six  years  ago  we  celebrated  the  centennial  of  our  own  beloved 
(irand  Lodge,  and  have  ever  since  been  favored  with  a  degree  of  har- 
mony and  prosperity  without  a  parallel  in  our  masonic  experience. 
Centennial  celebrations  have  been  numerous  in  recent  years,  and  their 
observance  crowned  with  success  and  permanent  benefits.  As  citizens, 
and  taught  by  our  creed  to  be  loyal  to  the  country  in  which  we  live, 
masons  felt  a  deep  interest  in  the  magnificent  centennial  of  the  inaugura- 
tion of  George  Washington  as  the  first  President  of  the  United  States, 
which  was  recently  observed  in  New  York  city.  The  masonic  fraternity 
of  the  Empire  State  felt  especial  interest,  because  the  central  figures  in 
that  historic  event  were  in  the  front  rank  of  our  institution.  Among  the 
most  brilliant  and  illustrious  men  and  masons  of  that  or  any  other  age, 
stood  George  Washington,  himself  an  active  mason  and  the  Worshipful 
Master  of  his  lodge.  Robert  R.  Livingston,  Chancellor  of  the  State  of 
New  York,  who  administered  the  oath  of  office  to  President  Washing- 
ton upon  a  Bible  now  in  active  use  as  the  Great  Light  in  St.  John's 
Lodge,  No.  i,  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  New  York  city.  Most  Wor- 
shipful brother  Livingston  was  one  of  the  ablest  and  most  distinguished 
men  of  his  time,  and  the  honored  Grand  Master  of  New  York  for  sixteen 
years.  Morgan  Lewis,  chief  marshal  of  the  inauguration  ceremonies,  and 
at  that  time  Grand  Marshal  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  New  York.  Most 
Worshipful  brother  Lewis  was  subsequently  elected  Governor  of  our 
State,  and  held  the  office  of  Grand  Master  for  thirteen  years.  Jacob 
Morton,  chief  of  staff  of  the  inauguration  ceremonies,  and  at  that  time 
Grand  Secretary  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  New  York.  Most  Worshipful 
brother  Morton  was  a  brave  and  accomplished  military  officer  during 
the  revolution,  and  our  Grand  Master  for  five  years. 


222  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


If  the  time  would  permit,  we  could  recount  the  names  of  other 
brethren,  illustrious  in  the  history  of  New  York  and  the  nation  as  well  ! 
DeWitt  Clinton,  an  able  and  fearless  Governor  of  our  State,  and  Grand 
Master  for  fourteen  years.  Daniel  D.  Tompkins,  Governor  of  the  State, 
Vice-President  of  the  United  States,  and  our  Grand  Master  for  several 
years.  These  and  other  brilliant  and  distinguished  masons — leaders  in 
the  affairs  of  State  as  well  as  the  craft,  inspired  confidence,  and  elevated 
the  institution  in  New  York  far  above  that  of  any  other  society,  and 
gave  it  a  permanency  and  character  as  secure  and  honorable  as  the 
government  itself.  The  untiring  labors  and  unselfish  devotion  of  such 
true  men  and  masons,  have  indeed  conspired  to  make  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  the  State  of  New  York  the  largest,  and  one  of  the  brightest  fixed  stars 
in  the  masonic  firmament. 

But  brethren,  we  cannot  rest  upon  the  achievements  of  the  past. 
Masonry  must  keep  pace  with  the  active,  aggressive  march  of  busy 
humanity,  or  be  buried  beneath  the  rubbish  of  idleness,  and  forgotten. 

The  Grand  Lodge  of  New  York,  earnest  and  loyal  in  its  devotion 
to  duty,  has  always  endeavored  to  bear  aloft  with  credit  the  standard 
of  freemasonry.  Half  a  century  ago  we  numbered  one  hundred  lodges 
and  15,000  members;  to-day  we  number  seven  hundred  and  twenty- 
one  lodges  and  more  than  76,000  members.  Then,  no  foot  of  land 
did  we  possess,  nor  could  we  boast  of  any  income  whatever.  Now  we 
are  the  proud  possessors  of  a  magnificent  hall,  representing  a  cost  of 
$2,000,000,  with  a  net  annual  income  therefrom  of  about  $50,000. 
Half  a  century  ago  our  Masonic  Hall  and  Asylum  Fund  was  founded. 
The  first  contributor  was  a  brother  in  humble  circumstances,  and  the 
amount  of  his  contribution  a  single  dollar.  Think  of  it  and  take  cour- 
age !  The  first  offering  of  a  single  dollar — the  final  result ;  property 
representing  a  value  of  $2,000,000.  Such  a  record  breathes  more  of 
romance  than  reality.  Brethren,  the  Grand  Lodge  of  New  York,  real- 
izing fully  the  importance  of  the  undertaking,  and  its  consequent  toil 
and  responsibility,  proposes  to  follow  up  the  building  and  completion 
of  the  hall  by  engaging  in  a  far  more  noble  and  glorious  work,  the 
erection  of  a  Masonic  Home  and  School,  to  make  better  and  happier 
the  unfortunate  brother,  the  widow  and  the  orphan.  We  propose  to 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  223 


practically  demonstrate  to  the  world  that  freemasonry  is  founded  on 
liberality,  brotherly  love  and  charity.  Approaching  this  new  field  of 
labor  made  possible  only  after  much  toil  and  sacrifice,  we  invoke  the 
aid  of  the  Supreme  Architect  of  the  Universe  to  direct  us  in  the  estab- 
lishment of  our  Home  and  School  for  the  comfort  and  happiness  of 
unfortunate  humanity.  This  glorious  enterprise  will  afford  our  brethren 
one  of  life's  grandest  opportunities  for  doing  good.  It  will  practically 
exemplify  masonic  teachings  and  thus  fulfill  the  higher  law  of  "  pure 
religion  and  undefiled,"  which  we  are  taught  consists  in  "  visiting  the 
widow  and  fatherless  in  their  affliction,  and  to  keep  ourselves  unspotted 
from  the  world." 

A  single  word  regarding  our  ability  to  carry  out  the  great  work  pro- 
posed. The  Grand  Lodge  of  New  York  is  this  day  free  from  debt.  It 
is  the  owner  of  a  hall  which  I  have  already  mentioned.  It  is  the  owner 
of  about  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  beautiful  land,  richly  worth 
$75,000,  located  in  the  city  of  Utica — the  site  for  the  Home  and  School. 
It  has,  in  addition  thereto,  about  $150,000  cash  in  bank,  bearing  inter- 
est. With  this  splendid  beginning,  which  will  be  supplemented  with 
other  and  certain  revenues,  we  propose  to  erect  and  maintain  the  finest 
Masonic  Home  and  School  in  the  world. 

We  propose,  brethren,  that  the  largest  and  brightest  fixed  star  in 
the  masonic  firmament  shall  never  be  eclipsed. 

Another  brief  suggestion,  and  with  it  I  am  done.  I  observe  here 
to-night  representatives  of  several  Grand  Lodges,  all  brilliant  stars  of 
the  first  magnitude.  Your  masonic  history  is  replete  with  splendid 
achievements,  with  magnificent  results,  which  have  truly  caused  our 
masonic  firmament  to  be  studded  with  stars  of  glory.  But,  dear  breth- 
ren, let  us  not  be  content  with  the  mere  physical  and  moral  side  of 
fallen  humanity.  This  is  but  the  finite  labor  of  man.  "  Death  does  not 
end  all."  The  beautiful  Star  of  Bethlehem  should  forcibly  remind  us  of 
that  real  firmament  of  divine  love  and  glory,  where  our  individual  ma- 
sonic stars  should  always  be  found  reflecting  and  revealing  the  truer 
life,  the  immortal  part  within  us,  with  a  beautiful  glitter,  never  beclouded 
or  bedimmed.  God  grant  that  each  of  our  stars  may  so  reflect  His 
light  and  love  as  to  brightly  shine  forever  and  ever. 


224  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


"  But  the  Truer  life  draws  nigher, 

Every  year, 
And  its  morning  stars  climb  higher, 

Every  year ; 

Earth's  hold  on  us  grows  slighter, 
And  the  heavy  burdens  lighter, 
And  the  Dawn  Immortal  brighter, 

Every  year." 

RIGHT   WORSHIPFUL   BROTHER   JOHN    G.    ROOT. 

t    I  take  pleasure  in  introducing  Most  Worshipful  Brother 
George  H.  Kenyon,  Grand  Master  of  Rhode  Island,  to  respond 

to  the  toast : 

"The  Grand  Lodge  of  Rhode  Island." 

RESPONSE   BY    MOST   WORSHIPFUL   GEORGE   H.    KENYON, 
GRAND   MASTER. 

I  can  assure  you  that  at  this  late  hour  I  do  not  propose  to  detain  you 
with  any  lengthy  remarks.  On  this  occasion  I  do  indeed  feel  it  a  priv- 
ilege that  I  am  here  as  one  of  your  guests,  to  bear  to  you  the  fraternal 
greetings  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Rhode  Island,  and  her  hearty  congrat- 
ulations upon  the  successful  centennial  festival,  the  anniversary  of  the 
natal  day  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut. 

I  can  assure  you  that  in  the  heart  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Rhode 
Island  is  a  chord  of  sympathy,  ever  ready  to  vibrate  in  tuneful  harmony 
whenever  you  shall  impress  upon  it  the  least  touch  of  breath.  I  have 
been  storing  my  mind  with  treasures,  and  ever  since  I  came  into  your 
territory,  all  day  to-day,  it  seems  to  have  been  one  prolonged  feast. 
The  Right  Worshipful  Grand  Secretary  has  given  a  full  and  complete 
history  of  your  organization,  which  certainly  must  have  cost  long  hours 
of  toil  and  research  ;  a  superb  poem,  bound  to  give  enthusiasm  to  every 
mason  present,  while  the  oration  was  one  of  the  most  complete  efforts 
of  the  kind  it  has  been  my  privilege  to  listen  to,  and  which,  it  seems  to 
me,  must  read  like  a  beautiful  poem.  I  sincerely  hope  that  I  may  have 
the  pleasure  at  some  time  to  read  it ;  it  will  do  any  of  us  good  to  read 
it  over. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  225 


Without  taking  more  of  your  time,  I  thank  you  for  the  privilege 
of  so  much  entertainment  and  pleasure,  and  will  give  way  to  many 
others  who  I  know  are  anxious  to  speak  to  you. 

RIGHT  WORSHIPFUL  BROTHER  JOHN  G.  ROOT. 
We  are  honored  with  the  presence  of  a  distinguished  citi- 
zen of  this  commonwealth  who  has  held  important  positions, 
not  only  in  this  State,  but  in  the  national  government ;  as  a 
brother  mason ;  and  as  a  representative  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
Connecticut ;  and  it  gives  me  great  pleasure  in  introducing  to 
you,  Ex-Governor  Thomas  M.  Waller,  of  New  London. 

RESPONSE   BY   EX-GOVERNOR   WALLER. 

By  the  fortunes  of  politics  some  four  years  ago  I  was  exiled  from 
this  country ;  by  an  inscrutable  accident  of  politics  I  am  permitted  to 
be  back  with  you,  and  it  is  fitting  that  my  first  public  appearance  should 
be  among  my  brethren  in  masonry.  As  I  look  about  me  and  see  so 
many  masonic  brethren  and  so  many  distinguished  brethren,  I  esteem 
it  a  privilege  to  be  with  you.  I  see  before  me  a  distinguished  brother 
from  Utah,  and  mark  you,  coming  from  that  country,  is  yet  strong 
enough  to  withstand  the  temptation  and  come  to  Connecticut  with  only 
one  wife.  If  he  goes  back  with  that  one,  I  have  no  doubt  he  can  say  as 
proudly,  that  he  did  not  get  a  divorce  while  in  Connecticut.  (Laughter.) 

It  is  late  to  commence  a  speech,  and  I  should  hesitate  to  do  it 
except  that  I  only  intend  to  propose  a  toast,  and  while  it  is  twelve 
o'clock  here,  those  in  whose  honor  the  toast  is  proposed  live  in  that 
happy  country  where  it  is  now  the  splendid  hour  of  seven,  and  where 
the  people  think  and  say  good  things  of  America,  and  good  things  of 
masonry.  (Applause.)  During  my  absence,  I  have  not  only  repre- 
sented the  government,  I  have  had  a  higher  honor  !  I  have  been  ap- 
pointed, by  the  kindness  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  my  State  to  represent, 
as  best  I  could  in  England,  the  masonry  of  Connecticut. 

Brethren,  there  is  one  thing  about  the  English,  they  are  good 
masons ;  they  are  full  of  the  milk  of  human  kindness — they  have 
unbounded  hospitality.  I  have  received  their  kindness,  and  those 
15 


226  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


who  look  on  my  figure  now,  will  believe  that  I  have  received  their 
hospitality.  I  was  rather  surprised  to  learn  that  they  have  not  as 
many  masons  in  proportion  to  the  population  as  we  have ;  among 
35,000,000  of  people,  they  have  only  80,000  masons.  Their  lodges  are 
not  as  large  as  American  lodges ;  they  do  not  labor  in  their  lodges  as 
much  as  we  do  here.  There  was  one  feature  especially  noticeable  to 
me  ;  they  do  less  labor  and  have  more  refreshment.  Why,  in  England 
a  lodge  scarcely  ever  comes  together,  except  upon  some  serious  occa- 
sion, but  what  they  have  a  dinner,  and  I  think  sometimes,  even  on 
these  occasions,  they  have  dinner  also.  (Laughter.) 

In  England,  masonry  is  a  social  institution  ;  it  is  harder  to  get  into 
a  lodge  and  easier  to  get  out,  and  there  is  something  in  that.  If  I  go 
on  as  at  present,  some  of  my  friends  will  say  that  I  have  become  an 
Anglo-maniac  !  I  have  become  Anglo-masonic,  if  there  is  such  a  term  ? 
Masons  everywhere  in  the  world  are  alike  in  this ;  their  principles  are 
the  same  ;  their  land- marks  are  the  same  ;  and  if  they  are  good  masons, 
it  makes  little  difference  what  language  they  speak.  England  and  the 
English  speaking  nations  on  the  other  side  of  the  world,  we  must  hold  in 
nearer  affection  than  any  other  people  upon  the  globe. 

During  my  representation  of  this  Grand  Lodge  in  England,  I  beg 
to  assure  you  I  have  been  received  everywhere  with  distinguished  cour- 
tesy, not  for  myself,  but  for  the  craft  I  represented.  I  have,  during  this 
time,  been  one  of  the  founders  of  the  only  lodge  of  the  kind  established 
in  Great  Britain.  A  lodge  composed  of  American's  as  well  as  English- 
men, called  the  Anglo-American  Lodge,  and  many  Americans  have  en- 
joyed its  hospitality.  That  lodge,  two  years  or  more  ago,  was  dedi- 
cated, and  Brackston  Baker  (the  United  Kingdom  holds  no  better  man) 
was  elected  Master.  (Loud  applause.)  That  lodge,  composed,  as  I 
say,  of  nearly  equal  numbers  of  English  and  Americans,  continues  in 
prosperity,  and  there  is  no  mason  from  America  who  goes  to  London 
and  makes  himself  known  who  would  not  be  welcomed  in  that  lodge, 
and  be  treated  hospitably  and  kindly,  as  the  Grand  Master  of  Maryland 
was  two  years  ago. 

For  these  four  years  in  masonic  communities,  I  have  been  making 
speeches  about  the  vastness  of  our  country,  and  the  greatness  of  our  craft. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  227 


(Applause.)  Sometimes,  in  the  awful  secrecy  of  my  own  conscious- 
ness, I  have  thought  I  might  have  been  mistaken  and  have  exaggerated. 
After  listening  to  the  exercises  of  this  afternoon,  do  you  know,  brethren, 
that  I  am  persuaded  to  think  that  I  have  not  told  those  Englishmen 
half  the  truth,  and  I  am  going  back  some  day  and  give  them  the  proper 
figures.  Why,  do  you  know  that  in  this  little  State  of  Connecticut,  the 
actual  statistics  show  that  more  than  one-ninth  of  the  whole  population 
belongs  to  this  fraternity  ?  600,000  masons  in  our  country  ;  think  of  it, 
one  in  ten,  and  in  this  great  country  of  more  than  60,000,000,  more  than 
one-twelfth  the  entire  adult  population  bend  their  knees  at  the  altar  of 
masonry,  and  devote  their  lives  to  the  dispensation  of  masonic  hospital- 
ity. In  such  a  State  and  in  such  a  country,  we  have  got  through  trifling 
with  Ishmaels  outside.  I  have  told  the  English  masons  that  the  history 
of  our  craft  from  the  beginning  of  our  institution,  has  been  connected 
with  our^"  intellectual,  moral  and  political  success  in  America ;  in  the 
progress  of  our  growth  and  the  advancement  of  our  civilization,  the  order 
of  procedure  has  been  the  dedication  of  the  church,  the  establishment  of 
the  school,  and  the  consecration  of  the  lodge,  faith,  hope  and  charity ; 
faith  in  God,  hope  in  the  future  and  charity  for  all.  (Applause.) 

I  leave  you  to-night,  again,  rejoicing  that  the  first  time  I  have  to 
look  upon  an  assembly  of  my  own  people,  and  in  my  own  State,  I  am 
in  the  midst  of  masons.  The  real  motive  of  our  association  is  not  secta- 
rian, it  is  not  political ;  the  real  motive  of  our  association  is  to  culti- 
vate better  fellowship  between  man  and  man,  and  to  advance  the  true 
principles  of  benevolence.  Thank  God  the  time  has  ended  when  secta- 
rianism or  politics  dictates  masonry ;  thank  God,  more  fervently,  the 
600,000  masons  in  this  country  represent,  I  can  safely  say,  all  creeds 
and  all  parties.  (Applause.)  Not  one  representative  man  among 
them,  from  one  end  of  the  land  to  the  other,  that  will  belie  any  party 
or  say  aught  against  any  church,  so  long  as  it  believes  in  God,  the  im- 
mortality of  the  soul,  and  in  doing  good  on  earth. 

Brethren,  in  closing,  I  wish  you  to  drink  with  me  this  toast : 
"  To  our  brethren  in  merry  Old  England ;  to  the  prosperity  of  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  England ;  to  the  prosperity  of  the  Anglo-American 
lodge  in  London  ;  to  the  prosperity  of  the  masonic  fraternity  throughout 
the  United  Kingdom." 


228  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


By  drinking  this  toast,  you  will  not  only  compliment  the  fraternity 
in  England,  but  I  shall  consider  it  a  great  personal  honor,  and  to-mor- 
row they  shall  know  by  cable  that  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut,  in 
celebrating  her  one  hundredth  anniversary,  remembers  her  brethren 
across  the  sea.  (Loud  applause.) 

RIGHT   WORSHIPFUL   BROTHER   JOHN   G.    ROOT. 

I  take  pleasure  in  introducing  R.  E.  Grand  Commander 
Fred.  A.  Spencer,  to  respond  in  behalf  of  the  Knights  Tem- 
plars of  Connecticut. 

RESPONSE    BY   R.    E.    FRED.    A.    SPENCER,    GRAND   COMMANDER. 

I  think  it  hardly  fair  to  call  upon  me  to  respond  to  a  toast,  for  I 
have  been  responding  all  day,  as  evidenced  by  my  voice,  which  I  think 
has  been  exercised  to  its  detriment,  causing  a  hoarseness  which  makes 
it  difficult  for  me  to  make  myself  understood. 

I  will  not  attempt  at  this  late  hour  to  use  any  of  your  time,  but 
simply  say  a  few  things  which  have  occurred  to  me  since  sitting  here 
and  listening  to  the  remarks  of  others.  I  have  often  heard,  and  have 
no  doubt  you  have  often  heard,  some  members  of  the  masonic  fra- 
ternity deprecating  the  existence  of  the  so-called  "higher  degrees,"  for 
the  reason,  they  give,  that  members  of  commanderies  and  so-called 
"  higher  bodies,"  lose  their  interest  in  Blue  Lodge  Masonry  after  be- 
coming members  of  other  bodies.  To-day,  the  Grand  Commandery 
of  this  State,  I  think,  has  given  an  instance,  or  given  some  evidence 
of  the  falsity  of  that  opinion,  though,  as  a  matter  of  course,  all  Knights 
Templars  are  Blue  Lodge  -Masons,  and  yet  they  have  all  donned  their 
uniforms  as  Knights  Templars  and  marched  at  the  head  of  this  proces- 
sion to-day,  testifying  to  their  love  for  the  order  of  masonry.  The  sub- 
ordinate commanderies  of  this  jurisdiction  have  responded  to  the  Grand 
Commander  to  appear  here  to-day,  and  have  esteemed  it  a  privilege, 
and  we  should  return  thanks  to  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the  State  of  Con- 
necticut for  having  given  us  an  opportunity  for  testifying,  as  they  have 
to-day,  their  love  for  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the  State,  and  to  me  it  has 
been  a  peculiarly  pleasant  and  interesting  duty,  on  account  of  following, 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  229 


as  I  have  on  many  occasions  in  years  gone  by,  the  lead  of  one  whom 
your  Committee  of  Arrangements  has  selected  as  marshal  of  your  forces 
for  to-day ;  I  allude  to  my  friend,  General  Smith.  (Applause.) 

While  none  of  us  may  hope  to  remain  to  see  the  second  centen- 
nial anniversary  of  the  organization  of  your  Grand  Lodge,  yet  I  can 
safely  say,  I  think,  that  the  successors  of  the  present  members  of  the 
Grand  Commandery  of  this  State,  will  be  as  willing  and  as  happy  to 
again  perform  the  duties  one  hundred  years  from  now  as  they  have 
upon  this  occasion. 

I  might  point  out  that,  contrary  to  the  conclusions  drawn  this 
evening,  two  bodies  could  be  tied  together  and  yet  do  good  work,  but 
it  is  nearer  my  idea  that  the  Commandery  and  Blue  Lodges  are  one,  and 
yet,  not  one  in  organization,  but  one  in  the  advancement  of  the  craft. 
As  such  may  they  stand,  ever  shoulder  to  shoulder,  and  may  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut,  during  the  next  one 
hundred  years,  be  equally  the  pride  of  Knights  Templars  and  Blue 
Lodge  Masons  !  (Applause.)  , 

RIGHT   WORSHIPFUL   BROTHER   JOHN   G.    ROOT. 

"  Pennsylvania,  the  home  of  William  Penn  ;  her  masonry,  ancient 
and  honorable,  is  made  illustrious  by  the  pen  of  Richard  Vaux." 
RESPONSE  BY  BROTHER  MICHAEL  NISBET,  GRAND   SECRETARY. 

Most  Worshipful  Grand  Master  and  Brethren : — The  brother  who 
was  to  have  replied  to  this  toast,  like  William,  to  whom  the  toast  is 
made,  is  conspicuous  by  his  absence.  I  feel  somewhat  like  the  brother 
who,  being  a  bachelor,  was  called  upon  to  respond  to  the  toast  to  women. 
He  said  he  supposed  he  was  called  upon  to  respond  to  that  toast  be- 
cause he  had  so  little  acquaintance  with  it.  I  had  no  acquaintance 
with  William — not  the  slightest.  He  was  a  Quaker ;  Quakers  are  gen- 
erally considered  to  be  very  staid  people,  but  if  history  tells  the  truth 
about  William,  T  am  glad  that  I  was  not  a  Quaker.  Whether  he  was  a 
mason  or  not,  I  cannot  say,  but  the  manner  in  which  he  acquired  the 
State  of  Pennsylvania  was  certainly  peaceable,  fraternal  and  fatherly ; 
nevertheless,  I  do  not  know  whether  he  was  a  mason  or  not,  but  he  was 
certainly  a  kind,  philanthropic  and  peaceable  individual,  and  the  prin- 


230  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


ciples  of  peace  that  he  brought  to  our  State,  are  creditable  to  him,  and 
certainly  would  have  been  to  the  fraternity,  if  he  was  a  member  of  it. 

From  the  remarks  of  brother  Nickerson,  I  infer  that  all  differences 
of  opinion  between  Pennsylvania  and  Massachusetts,  as  to  the  origin  of 
masonry  in  this  country,  are  now  satisfactorily  settled.  Whether  the 
lodge  in  Pennsylvania  was  first  constituted  as  we  do  it  now,  or  as  they 
did  it  then ;  I  guess  it  was  as  they  did  it  then.  (Laughter.)  I  frankly 
and  fraternally  acknowledge  what  brother  Moore,  of  New  Jersey,  has 
said,  that  the  first  Grand  Master  of  this  country  was  in  New  Jersey. 
He  resided  at  Burlington,  and  probably  held  in  common  with  the 
good  people  of  Burlington,  the  belief  that  is  now  prevalent  there, 
that  nobody  could  ever  reach  heaven  until  they  had  been  to  Burlington. 
But  there  is  one  thing  about  it,  that  he  never  could  have  found  any 
proper  soil  to  plant  the  lodge  in  New  Jersey,  because  he  came  to  Penn- 
sylvania and  planted  it  there.  Philadelphia  is  certainly  masonic,  for  it 
is  laid  out  in  squares.  He  was  a  philanthropic  man,  as  well  as  a  peace- 
ful one,  and  his  principles  of  philanthrophy  have  been  inculcated  and 
practised,  and  are  in  successful  operation  at  the  present  time.  Our 
brother,  Stephen  Girard,  when  he  died,  left  a  fund  which  has  now 
reached  $100,000,  for  the  relief  of  way-faring  brethren. 

We,  in  Pennsylvania,  have  also  built  a  temple,  and,  like  some  of 
our  sister  Grand  Lodges,  owe  for  it  $1,650,000,  but  I  am  happy  to  say 
that  in  a  short  time  we  will  be  able  to  reduce  that  indebtedness  to  a 
figure  where  the  interest  will  be  about  one-half  what  we  now  have  to  pay. 
I  believe,  although  I  do  not  positively  assert,  that  our  Grand  Lodge  was 
the  oldest  Grand  Lodge  in  the  United  States  of  America ;  we  have  no 
evidence  of  anything  to  the  contrary.  (Applause.)  We  have,  in  a  news- 
paper published  by  Franklin,  an  account  of  the  election  of  officers  in 
1732- 

We,  too,  have  our  methods  of  charity,  and  believe  that  to  help  a 
brother  out  of  misfortune,  is  just  as  great  as  putting  your  hand  into  your 
pocket  and  pulling  out  so  much  cash. 

I  want  to  say,  Worshipful  Master,  that  I  am  very  much  pleased  at 
having  an  opportunity  of  meeting  brethren  from  other  jurisdictions — 
particularly  those  I  have  never  met  before.  I  congratulate  you  and  your 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  231 


Grand  Lodge  upon  the  successful  conclusion  of  your  one  hundredth 
anniversary.  I  hope  that  when  your  second  or  biennial  anniversary  of 
this  Grand  Lodge  rolls  around,  it  will  see  the  same  increase  in  its  pros- 
perity and  unanimity. 

RIGHT   WORSHIPFUL   BROTHER   JOHN   G.    ROOT. 

It  is  most  fitting  that  our  Grand  Master,  on  account  of  the 
position  he  holds  in  the  fraternity,  should  speak  a  good  word, 
and  I  now  call  upon  him  to  respond  to  this  toast : 

"The  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut." 

RESPONSE    BY   MOST   WORSHIPFUL    GRAND    MASTER,   JOHN    H. 
SWARTWOUT. 

Representatives  of  Sister  Grand  Lodges  and  Brethren  of  this : — 
The  toast  that  I  am  asked  to  respond  to  at  this  late  hour  is  of  con- 
siderable magnitude,  and  the  lateness  of  the  hour  precludes  that  I 
should  enter  into  any  lengthy  discussion  of  the  toast.  You  have  list- 
ened this  afternoon  to  the  very  able  and  interesting  historical  address  of 
our  Grand  Secretary,  that  has  covered  a  period  of  one  hundred  years. 
There  remains,  therefore,  little  or  nothing  to  be  said  in  reference  to  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  the  State  of  Connecticut  during  these  past  one  hundred 
years. 

But  there  remains  something  to  be  said  for  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the 
State  of  Connecticut,  on  entering  upon  its  second  centennial.  As  has 
been  said  by  our  distinguished  brother  from  the  State  of  New  York, 
that  they  are  about  to  build  a  Masonic  Home  and  School,  so  I  may 
state  to  you  all,  as  many  of  you  know  already,  that  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
the  State  of  Connecticut  is  engaged  in  a  similar  enterprise,  although  not 
advanced  as  far  as  our  sister  jurisdiction,  yet  the  grain  of  mustard  seed 
has  been  sowji,  and  before  our  second  centennial  has  been  celebrated,  it 
will  be  found  that  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the  State  of  Connecticut  is  in 
possession  also  of  a  Masonic  Home,  and  has  discharged  its  duty  to  the 
widow  and  orphan  in  that  respect,  fully  and  completely.  This  is  what 
we  look  forward  to  on  this,  our  first  centennial,  and  I  trust  that  whoever 
shall  occupy  the  grand  seat  on  the  occasion  of  our  second  centennial, 


232  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


may  look  back  with  gratitude  and  pride  to  the  building  of  this  Masonic 
Home,  and  that  the  craft  may  be  as  successful  during  the  next  one 
hundred  years  as  she  has  been  in  the  past. 

I  must,  before  closing,  return  on  behalf  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the 
State  of  Connecticut,  its  sincere  thanks  to  those  members  of  our  sister 
jurisdictions  who  have  so  done  us  the  honor  of  their  presence,  and  we 
sincerely  trust,  that  as  you  leave  our  jurisdiction,  you  may  carry  home 
with  you  the  feeling  that  Connecticut,  small  though  she  be,  is  yet  large 
in  the  fullness  of  her  heart,  and  in  her  masonic  instincts. 

Brethren  I  thank  you  cordially  for  the  interest  that  you  have  taken 
in  this  centennial  occasion,  and  trust  that  its  memories  may  be  lasting. 
(Loud  applause.) 

GRAND    SECRETARY  JOSEPH    K.    WHEELER. 

Brethren: — When  we  come  together  here  in  Connecticut 
and  close  a  social  entertainment,  such  as  the  gathering  of  this 
evening,  it  is  customary  to  close  by  singing  one  of  the  odes 
composed  by  "  Bobby  Burns,"  a  poem  celebrated  throughout 
the  world ;  and  I  invite  you,  my  brethren,  from  far-off  Utah, 
and  from  New  York,  and  Massachusetts,  and  Rhode  Island,  and 
Pennsylvania,  and  Maryland,  and  New  Jersey;  I  invite  you  all 
to  arise,  and  let  this  be  the  closing  sentiment  of  the  occasion : 
"Auld  Lang  Syne." 


BIOGRAPHICAL- 


'  Here  the  reward  stands  for  thee — a  chief  seat 
In  fame's  fair  sanctuary,  where  some  of  old 
Crown'd  with  their  triumphs,  now  are  here  enrolled 
In  memory's  sacred  sweetness  to  all  ages.'' 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  235 


P.  HYDE. 


Alvan  Pinney  Hyde,  son  of  Alvan  and  Sarah  (Pinney) 
Hyde,  was  born  March  10,  1825,  at  Stafford,  Tolland  County, 
Conn.  His  father,  and  grandfather  Nathaniel  Hyde,  were  iron 
manufacturers  in  Stafford,  and  quite  successful  business  men. 

Brother  Hyde  fitted  for  college  at  the  Academy  in  Mun- 
son,  Mass.,  and  entered  freshman  in  Yale  in  1841,  and  gradu- 
ated with  honor  in  the  class  of  1845.  After  graduation  he 
entered  upon  the  study  of  the  law  with  Hon.  Loren  P.  Waldo, 
in  Tolland,  Conn. ;  spent  the  winters  of  1846  and  1847  at  New 
Haven,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  at  Tolland  in  the  fall  of 
1847.  He  commenced  practice  in  Stafford,  his  native  place, 
where  he  remained  until  September,  1849,  when  he  married 
Miss  Frances  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Hon.  Loren  P.  and  Frances 
Elizabeth  Waldo,  and  removed  to  Tolland. 

He  remained  in  the  practice  of  law  in  Tolland  until  1864, 
when  he  removed  to  Hartford,  Conn.,  continuing  in  the  prac- 
tice of  law,  as  a  partner  with  his  father-in-law,  Judge  Waldo, 
until  1867.  The  firm  was  then  changed  to  Waldo,  Hubbard 
&  Hyde,  a  co-partnership  being  formed  between  Judge  Waldo, 
Mr.  Hyde  and  Hon.  Richard  D.  Hubbard,  subsequently  Gov- 
ernor of  Connecticut.  In  1877  Mr.  Charles  E.  Gross  became 
a  member  of  the  firm.  In  1881,  after  the  decease  of  Judge 
Waldo,  the  firm  was  again  changed  to  Hubbard,  Hyde  &  Gross, 
and  the  two  sons  of  brother  Hyde,  William  Waldo  and  Frank 
Eldridge,  were  admitted,  both  graduates  of  Yale,  and  both 
members  of  the  masonic  fraternity.  In  1884,  after  the  decease 
of  Governor  Hubbard,  the  name  of  the  firm  was  changed  to 
Hyde,  Gross  &  Hyde. 


236  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


Brother  Hyde  was  a  descendant  of  the  best  New  England 
stock,  his  father  and  mother  standing  among  the  foremost  in 
the  old  town  of  Stafford.  His  father  was  selectman  of  the 
town,  and  frequently  elected  as  its  representative  in  the  State 
Legislature.  His  mother  was  active  in  the  church,  and  in  the 
neighborhood  where  she  lived  was  regarded  as  a  "  mother  in 
Israel,"  to  whom  all  the  poor,  the  sick  and  the  unfortunate 
were  free  to  apply,  with  a  certainty  of  having  their  wants  sup- 
plied. '  Their  worthy  names  and  examples  are  most  justly  en- 
shrined in  the  memory  of  the  son,  and  their  distinctive  traits  of 
character  are  reflected  in  him,  moulding  his  nature  and  life 
into  one  of  integrity  and  honor. 

His  energy  and  thought  have  been  thoroughly  devoted  to 
his  profession,  into  which  he  has  entered  with  abounding  zeal, 
resulting  in  the  upbuilding  of  one  of  the  best  law  firms  in  Con- 
necticut, and  having  the  largest  practice  of  any.  For  this 
reason,  he  has  kept  aloof  from  political  preferments,  and  has 
not  allowed  his  name  to  run  for  any  office. 

The  masonic  record  of  brother  Hyde  begins  in  Uriel 
Lodge,  No.  24,  where  he  was  made  a  mason  in  1858,  and  in 
1859  he  was  elected  Senior  Warden,  it  being  at  the  first  stated 
communication  after  his  initiation.  In  I860  and  1861  he  served 
the  lodge  as  its  Worshipful  Master.  At  the  annual  communi- 
cation of  the  Grand  Lodge,  held  May  9,  1861,  he  was  elected 
Grand  Junior  Deacon,  and  at  the  following  annual  commu- 
nication, held  May  15,  1862,  he  was  advanced  to  the  high- 
est office,  serving  two  years  as  Grand  Master.  His  administra- 
tion was  eminently  successful,  and  his  natural  gifts  and  acquire- 
ments were  brought  into  activity  in  the  masonic  field,  at  a  time 
when  discretion  and  good  judgment  were  needed  at  the  helm. 
His  addresses  to  the  Grand  Lodge  are  distinguished  for  wis- 
dom, prudence  and  unselfishness,  and  the  following  quotation 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  237 


from  the  last  address  in  1863  is  evidence  of  his  clear-sighted- 
ness, and  has  the  ±inge  of  a  prophetic  utterance. 

After  alluding  to  the  unnatural  activity  and  speculation 
occasioned  by  the  civil  war,  he  concludes  by  saying:  "This 
state  of  things  cannot  always  continue.  It  must  inevitably  be 
followed,  and  we  know  not  how  soon,  by  a  period  of  financial 
distress,  by  stagnation  in  business,  that  will  bring  poverty  to 
many  now  living  in  comfort,  when  grave  want  will  compel  the 
widow  and  orphan  to  call  to  us  for  aid  in  language  that  must 
be  heard." 

Brother  Hyde  lives  in  Hartford  on  the  Charter  Oak  place, 
where  the  old  Charter  Oak  of  historic  fame  formerly  stood,  and 
is  always  happy  to  greet  his  friends.  With  an  open-hearted, 
frank,  and  genial  manner,  he  makes  others  happy  by  the  inspira- 
tion of  his  presence,  and  being  possessed  of  a  generous  nature, 
he  is  prevented  from  becoming  incrusted  with  the  passion  of 
money-getting,  for  money  alone. 

His  record  in  all  its  phases  is  an  honorable  and  manly  one, 
distinguished  for  high-minded  integrity,  sagacity  and  generos- 
ity, which  are  so  richly  blended  and  developed  in  him  that  all 
with  whom  he  comes  in  contact  cannot  but  admire  his  qualities. 
While  not  active  in  freemasonry,  he  still  entertains  a  high  re- 
gard for  the  institution,  and  among  the  citizens  of  the  city 
where  he  moves  he  has  the  confidence  and  respect  of  all. 


238  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


LKONARD    A.    DICKIXSON. 


Brother  Dickinson  was  born  in  New  Haven,  Connecticut, 
November  5,  1826,  being  a  son  of  brother  Raphael  Dickinson, 
who  was  made  a  mason  in  Hiram  Lodge,  No.  1,  at  New  Haven, 
March  15, 1804.  His  grandfather,  Oliver  Dickinson,  of  Milton, 
Litchfield,  Connecticut,  served  in  the  war  of  the"  Revolution, 
enlisting  May,  1776,  in  Capt.  Nathaniel  Tuttle's  Company,  in 
Col.  Charles  Webb's  regiment. 

Both  of  his  parents  died  while  brother  Dickinson  was  quite 
young,  and  he  was  sent  to  live  with  his  grandfather.  At  the 
age  of  nine  years  he  began  to  earn  his  own  living,  working  on 
the  farm,  in  the  factory,  and  then  as  clerk  in  a  dry  goods  store. 
His  early  activities  in  a  business  life  prevented  him  from  acquir- 
ing a  liberal  education,  which  was  obtained  at  an  ordinary 
country  district  school,  and  mostly  during  the  winter  terms. 
He  has  always  evinced  a  great  fondness  for  military,  which  has 
drawn  him  into  the  service  in  many  ways,  and  placed  his  name 
on  record  as  an  officer  in  both  the  State  and  national  govern- 
ment. In  1846,  at  the  age  of  twenty  years,  he  became  a 
member  of  the  2d  Company  Governor's  Foot  Guard,  of  New 
Haven,  and  commissioned  a  lieutenant  in  1848.  He  also  be- 
came a  member  of  the  New  Haven  Grays  in  1855,  commis- 
sioned adjutant  of  2d  regiment,  Connecticut  State  Militia,  under 
Col.  A.  H.  Terry,  August  24,  1858,  and  resigned  in  1860,  tak- 
ing a  position  in  the  Hartford  Fire  Insurance  Company.  On 
his  removal  to  Hartford  he  joined  the  Hartford  City  Guard  at 
its  organization  in  January,  1861,  and  was  commissioned  second 
lieutenant  September  12,  of  the  same  year. 

In  November  following  he  resigned  his  commission  in  the 
City  Guard,  to  go  into  active  service  in  the  war  of  the  rebellion, 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  239 


enlisting  in  the  twelfth  regiment  Connecticut  Volunteers,  October 
19,  1861,  and  commissioned  as  captain  of  company  C,  Novem- 
ber 20,  of  the  same  year,  and  mustered  into  United  States 
service  the  1st  of  January,  1862.  The  regiment  was  the  first  to 
arrive  at  the  city  of  New  Orleans,  Louisiana,  and  brother  Dick- 
inson participated  in  all  the  engagements  in  which  the  regiment 
took  a  part. 

July  14,  1864,  he  was  detached  from  the  regiment  and 
assigned  to  duty  as  A.  A.  Adjutant-gene'ral  of  the  second 
brigade,  first  division  of  the  19th  army  corps,  brigadier-general 
McMillan  commanding,  and  in  that  capacity  took  part  in  Sheri- 
dan's Shenandoah  Valley  campaign,  until  mustered  out  of  ser- 
vice November  21,  1864.  He  was  then  commissioned  as  major 
in  the  twelfth  regiment,  but  the  number  of  men  having  been 
reduced  to  so  few  that  it  was  not  entitled  to  three  field  officers, 
and  he  could  not  be  mustered  as  major,  and  he  declined  the 
appointment. 

During  his  term  of  service  in  the  war  of  the  rebellion  he 
participated  in  the  following  engagements :  October  27,  1862, 
Georgia  Landing,  La. ;  January  14,  1863,  capture  of  gun-boat 
"  Cotton,"  La. ;  March  27,  Pattersonville,  La. ;  April  13,  Bis- 
land,  La. ;  and  May  25  to  July  9,  at  the  siege  of  Port  Hudson, 
La. ;  June  23,  Brashear  City,  La.,  these  engagements  occurring 
while  he  was  captain  of  the  company.  While  A.  A.  Adjutant- 
general  he  participated  in  the  following  engagements  :  Septem- 
ber 19,  1864.  Winchester  or  Opequan,  Va. ;  September  22, 
Fisher's  Hill,  Va.,  and  October  19,  Cedar  Creek,  Va. 

Since  his  discharge  from  service  in  the  army  he  has  made 
the  city  of  Hartford  his  home,  and  been  honored  with  many 
positions  of  trust,  serving  first  on  the  staff  of  Governor  Marshall 
Jewell,  in  1869,  1871  and  1872,  as  quartermaster-general.  In 
May,  1881,  he  was  appointed  postmaster  at  Hartford  by  Presi- 


240  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


dent  Garfield,  serving  four  years.  In  March,  1886,  he  was  ap- 
pointed by  Governor  Harrison  a  member  of  the  Soldier's  Hos- 
pital Board  of  the  State  of  Connecticut,  re-appointed  in  1888 
by  Governor  Lounsbury,  and  again  in  1890  by  Governor 
Bulkeley;  and  in  1888,  by  the  legislature  of  Connecticut,  was 
appointed  a  trustee  of  "  Fitch's  Home  for  the  Soldier." 

His  business  has  been  devoted  mainly  to  fire  insurance 
since  residing  in  Hartford,  having  held  the  local  agency  of  the 
^Etna  Insurance  Company,  of  Hartford,  since  March,  1869,  and 
prior  thereto  serving  four  years  as  Secretary  of  the  Board  of 
Water  Commissioners  of  the  city  of  Hartford. 

Brother  Dickinson  was  made  a  freemason  in  Wooster 
Lodge,  No.  79,  of  New  Haven,  July  9, 1856,  and  held  the  offices 
of  Junior  Deacon,  Junior  Warden  and  Senior  Warden.  After 
returning  from  the  war  to  Hartford,  he  affiliated  with  St.  John's 
Lodge,  No.  4,  October  10, 1866,  and  in  1867  was  elected  Junior 
Warden,  Senior  Warden  in  1868,  and  Worshipful  Master  in 
1869,  serving  one  year,  and  during  his  administration  conferred 
the  degrees  upon  Hon.  Marshall  Jewell,  then  Governor  of  Con- 
necticut. March  10,  1864,  he  was  made  a  Royal  Arch  Mason 
in  Pythagoras  Chapter,  No.  17,  and  for  five  consecutive  years 
held  the  office  of  Secretary. 

May  22,  1868,  he  was  received  and  greeted  in  Wolcott 
Council,  No.  1,  Royal  and  Select  Masters,  and  April  5,  1870, 
Knighted  in  Washington  Commandery,  No.  1,  of  Hartford.  At 
the  annual  communication  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  in  1880,  he 
received  the  appointment  of  Grand  junior  Steward,  also  Grand 
Marshal  in  1881,  1882,  1883  and  1884;  elected  Grand  Senior 
Deacon  in  1885,  and  Grand  Junior  Warden  in  1886. 

He  is  an  active  member  of  St.  Thomas'  Episcopal  Church, 
in  Hartford,  over  which  the  present  Grand  Chaplain  of  the 
Grand  Lodge  is  Rector,  and  for  several  years  has  been,  and 
still  is  the  Senior  Warden  of  that  parish. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  241 


The  genealogy  of  the  Dickinson  family,  as  gathered  from 
reliable  sources,  shows  that  the  family  descended  from  Scan- 
dinavia. Gaultier  de  Caen,  or  Walter  de  Caen,  born  in  850, 
the  third  son  of  Rolf,  or  Rollo,  as  he  is  more  familiarly  known, 
received  from  his  father  Rollo,  a  grant  of  the  town  of,  and  castle 
of,  Caen,  also  a  grant  of  the  Saxon  Manor  Kenson,  on  the  Aire 
in  the  West  Riding  of  Yorkshire,  and  the  best  authorities  say 
that  the  name  of  Dickenson  comes  either  from  the  Manor  of 
Kenson  in  Yorkshire,  or  from  the  name  of  De  Caen,  De  Caen's 
son,  and  that  Hugh  Decconsin,  or  Kenson,  who  was  living  in, 
or  near,  Leeds,  was  a  descendant  of  John  De  Caen.  From  this, 
the  many  ways  of  spelling  the  family  name  is  accounted  for, 
/.  e.:  De  Caen,  or  by  some  De  Kenson,  Dickinson,  Dicconsin, 
Dickenson,  Dickerson,  Dickison,  and  Dickason. 

Tickell's  history  of  Hull,  England,  the  printed  rolls  of 
Parliament,  and  the  printed  journal  of  James  I,  show  the  line  of 
John  Dickinson  of  Leeds  back  to  John  Dykonson,  freeholder, 
living  in  the  reign  of  Edward  the  First,  1272  to  1307,  at  Keng- 
ston-upon-Hull,  and  the  unbroken  line  from  this  John  Dickin- 
son to  James  Dickinson,  Gentleman  of  the  Bed-Chamber  to 
James  I,  1603  to  1632,  whose  third  son,  the  Rev.  William 
Dickinson,  D.  D.,  Rector  of  Appleton,  Berkshire,  was  the 
grandfather  of  Moses,  Thomas  and  Josiah  Dickinson,  three 
brothers,  who  landed  in  Boston,  Massachusetts,  in  1690,  and 
settled  in  Deerfield,  and  afterwards  in  Hatfield,  Massachusetts. 
From  Moses  descended  David,  or  David  Ebenezer,  who  married 
Sarah,  great-granddaughter  of  Governor  Winslow.  Oliver 
Dickinson,  of  Milton,  Litchfield,  Connecticut,  was  the  grandson 
of  David,  and  Leonard  Ambrose,  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
was  the  grandson  of  Oliver,  of  Milton,  Litchfield.  He  was  a 
soldier  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  Raphael,  his  son,  was  a 

lieutenant  of  artillery  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  Leonard  Ambrose 
16 


242  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


served  as  captain  in  the  war  of  the  rebellion,  1861  to  1865. 
Brother  Dickinson  is  somewhat  reserved  in  his  companion- 
ship, yet  with  those  taken  into  his  confidence,  is  free,  frank  and 
open-hearted.  His  friendships  are  not  hastily  formed,  neither 
are  his  convictions  founded  without  thought  or  a  lack  of  satis- 
factory evidence,  and  when  once  formed,  are  not  easily  shaken. 
In  his  nature  are  associated  some  of  the  hereditary  qualities  of 
his  race,  which  bestow  a  tenacity  of  purpose,  and  a  cautious 
aggressiveness,  with  patient  fortitude  and  a  vigorous  determina- 
tion, that  brings  successful  issues  without  bluster  or  ostentation. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  243 


DWIQHT    WAUQH. 


Brother  VVaugh  was  born  January  20,  1831,  in  what  is  now 
the  small  town  of  Morris,  then  a  part  of  Litchfield,  where  he 
was  reared  on  a  farm.  Like  many  farmer  boys,  his  early  edu- 
cation was  limited  to  the  country  schools,  excepting,  perhaps, 
a  term  or  two  in  some  academy  or  grammar  school.  Brother 
VVaugh  graduated  at  a  grammar  school  located  at  Washington, 
Connecticut,  under  the  management  of  Mr.  Fred  W.  Gunn. 

After  graduation  he  taught  a  district  school  for  a  short 
time,  when  he  engaged  in  a  business  career,  entering  the  em- 
ploy of  the  Stamford  Manufacturing  Company  in  1852,  where 
he  has  remained  in  various  capacities  until  the  present  time, 
now  occupying  the  position  of  general  superintendent.  He  has 
also  been  interested  in  vessel  property,  and  at  the  organization 
of  the  Cove  Transportation  Company  was  elected  president, 
which  position  he  has  held  ever  since. 

He  was  initiated,  passed  and  raised  in  Union  Lodge,  No. 
5,  of  Stamford,  in  1860,  and  first  held  office  as  its  Senior 
Warden  in  1865;  the  next  year  elected  Worshipful  Master, 
serving  as  such,  in  all,  five  years.  He  was  exalted  a  Royal  Arch 
Mason  in  Rittenhouse  Chapter,  No.  11,  at  Stamford,  August  18, 
1864,  and  elected  Master  of  the  third  Veil  in  1865.  The  next 
year  he  was  elected  Principal  Sojourner,  serving  two  years,  and 
in  1868  advanced  to  the  office  of  Most  Excellent  High  Priest, 
which  position  he  filled  thirteen  years  out  of  nineteen,  besides 
filling  the  position  of  King  two  years  during  this  period. 

He  received  the  degrees  in  Washington  Council,  No.  17,  at 
Norwalk,  and  became  a  charter  member  of  Washington  Coun- 
cil, No.  6,  at  Stamford,  which  charter  was  granted  May  9, 


244  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


1865.  In  this  body  he  served  as  Captain  of  the  Guard  from 
1865  to  1868 ;  then  as  Right  Illustrious  Deputy  Master,  and 
Thrice  Illustrious  Master,  having  served  in  the  office  of  Thrice 
Illustrious  Master  a  great  many  years.  He  was  knighted  in 
Clinton  Commandery,  No.  3,  at  Norwalk,  March  3,  1865,  and 
served  as  Eminent  Commander  in  1880.  He  is  also  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Scottish  Rite  bodies  at  Bridgeport,  and  a  Noble  of 
the  Mystic  Shrine. 

By  the  Grand  Bodies  of  Connecticut,  he  has  been  honored 
with  the  most  exalted  positions  ;  representing  the  Grand  Lodge, 
Grand  Chapter  and  Grand  Council,  serving  as  Most  Puissant 
Grand  Master  of  the  latter  body  in  1879 ;  Grand  High  Priest 
in  1882 ;  and  Grand  Master  of  the  Grand  Lodge  in  1884  and 
1885.  He  has  also  been  at  the  head  of  the  order  of  High 
Priesthood  of  Connecticut,  and  served  the  craft  in  various  con- 
spicuous ways. 

In  all  these  positions  he  fulfilled  the  duties  with  ability  and 
intelligence,  and  gained  the  universal  approval  of  his  brethren 
and  companions,  for  the  faithful  and  zealous  manner  in  which 
he  administered  the  important  trusts  committed  to  his  charge. 

He  has  been  an  enthusiastic  worker  in  the  masonic  frater- 
nity, and  still  maintains  his  old  time  interest,  always  ready  to 
help  advance  its  usefulness  and  make  sacrifices  in  its  behalf  if 
necessary.  As  a  man,  he  is  most  genial,  generous  and  com- 
panionable, enjoying  a  well  deserved  popularity  among  his 
brethren  and  companions.  Strong  and  courageous  in  his  con- 
victions, he  adheres  to  principle  and  duty  with  tenacity,  and  is 
willing  at  all  times  to  give  expression  to  his  views,  when  he  has 
once  reached  a  conclusion. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  245 


DAVID  s. 


David  Sylvester  Miller  was  born  in  Torrington,  Connec- 
ticut, July  27,  1823.  His  father,  David  Miller,  was  a  Meth- 
odist clergyman,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  in  1855,  was 
presiding  elder  of  the  Hartford  district. 

Brother  Miller  is  of  Welsh  descent,  tracing  his  ancestry  in 
this  country  through  six  generations,  to  Thomas  Miller,  who 
came  from  Wales,  England,  and  settled  in  Middletown,  Con- 
necticut. Brother  Miller's  great-grandfather,  Amos,  who  was 
also  a  great-grandson  of  Thomas,  removed  from  Middletown, 
and  settled  in  New  Hartford,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  for 
many  years.  On  his  mother's  side,  his  grandfather,  Harvey 
Whiting,  served  in  the  army  of  the  revolution  as  a  lieutenant. 

Brother  Miller  received  his  education  in  the  common 
schools  at  Torrington,  where  he  spent  his  early  life  and  fitted 
for  book-keeping,  which  has  been  his  special  calling  through 
life.  He  was,  however,  for  a  time  engaged  in  the  manufacture 
of  clock  cases  in  Bristol,  after  which  he  engaged  in  farming  on 
the  old  "  Miller  Homestead,"  in  New  Hartford,  which  occupa- 
tion he  followed  for  ten  years. 

In  1864  he  engaged  in  the  furniture  business  at  West 
Winsted,  which  he  followed  for  two  years,  and  then  entered 
the  employ  of  the  American  Express  Company  as  agent,  and 
for  ten  years  continued  with  the  company,  being  stationed  most 
of  the  time  in  New  York  city. 

In  1844  and  1845,  he  was  adjutant  in  the  14th  regiment, 
first  brigade,  of  the  Connecticut  State  Militia,  and  brigade 
major  and  inspector  of  the  first  brigade,  first  division,  in  1846. 


246  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


He  represented  the  town  of  New  Hartford  in  the  General 
Assembly  of  1859  and  1860;  was  assessor  in  1862  and  1863; 
and  justice  of  the  peace  in  1863. 

For  several  years  he  has  been  located  at  Bristol,  engaged 
in  his  special  calling  of  book-keeping,  where  he  holds  the  con- 
fidence and  respect  of  its  citizens ;  and  is  a  director  of  the 
Bristol  Savings  Bank,  and  a  director  of  the  Bristol  Electric 
Light  Company. 

He  was  made  a  mason  in  Northern  Star  Lodge,  No.  58,  at 
New  Hartford,  in  1864.  Removing  the  same  year  to  West 
Winsted,  he  dimitted  from  Northern  Star  Lodge  and  affiliated 
with  St.  Andrew's  Lodge,  No.  64,  and  the  following  year 
elected  Worshipful  Master  from  the  floor,  serving  two  years. 

At  the  annual  communication  of  the  Grand  Lodge  in  1867, 
he  was  elected  Grand  Junior  Deacon,  which  office  he  held  two 
years ;  then  advanced  to  Grand  Senior  Deacon  for  one  year ; 
and  May  12,  1870,  he  was  elected  Grand  Senior  Warden, 
serving  one  year. 

His  interest  in  freemasonry  has  been  confined  more  to  the 
blue  lodge,  although  a  member  of  Meridian  Chapter,  No.  15, 
of  West  Winsted. 

In  him  we  find  blended  the  characteristics  of  his  ancestors, 
both  on  his  paternal  and  maternal  side,  accounting  in  a  meas- 
ure for  his  love  of  military ;  and  though  not  a  member  of 
any  church — for  his  belief  in  all  the  Eternal  verities,  in  which 
and  in  Whom  he  has  an  abiding  trust,  and  endeavors  to  square 
his  life  in  accord  with  the  teachings  of  the  Great  Light  of 
masonry. 

By  nature  he  is  without  ostentation,  with  plain,  unvar- 
nished manners,  and  no  man  ever  saw  upon  his  face  the  look 
of  pride  or  deceit,  save  only  "  the  pride  of  good  intent ;  the 
record  of  a  life  well  spent." 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  247 


In  reaching  conclusions  he  .advances  with  caution,  and 
when  his  opinions  are  formed  they  are  not  easily  shaken.  His 
life  has  been  active  and  full  of  honest  labor,  endeavoring  to 
fulfill  his  obligations  as  a  mason,  and  promote  the  interests  of 
the  craft ;  and  as  a  private  citizen,  true  to  friends  and  charita- 
ble to  all. 


248  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


ARTHUR  H.  BREWER. 


Brother  Brewer  is  a  descendant  from  good  "old  English" 
stock,  and  was  born  May  17,  1848,  in  the  city  of  Nonvich, 
Connecticut,  where  he  now  resides.  His  early  life  was  spent 
in  Norwich  and  Plainfield,  Connecticut ;  Ottawa,  Illinois ;  and 
Worcester  and  Boston,  Massachusetts,  and  in  these  places  he 
received  his  education,  graduating  from  the  English  High 
School,  in  Boston. 

Brother  Brewer  is  the  junior  partner  in  the  old  firm  of 
Edward  Chappell  &  Co.,  of  Norwich,  the  firm  being  large 
dealers  in  coal  and  lumber;  and  his  energy  is  devoted  very 
closely  to  the  interests  of  the  concern.  For  this  reason  he  has 
never  allowed  his  name  to  run  for  any  political  office,  though 
sometimes  strongly  urged  in  that  direction. 

His  leisure  hours  have  been  spent  in  the  masonic  order,  of 
which  he  has  been  an  active  member  in  its  various  branches, 
which  has  afforded  him  congenial  acquaintances  and  pleasant 
associations.  He  was  made  a  mason  in  Somerset  Lodge,  No. 
34,  of  Norwich,  September  15,  1869,  and  on  the  27th  of  De- 
cember, of  the  same  year,  received  his  third  or  Master  Mason's 
degree.  In  1878  he  was  elected  Senior  Warden  from  the  floor, 
and  the  following  year  advanced  to  the  position  of  Worshipful 
Master,  holding  the  office  one  year,  and  declining  a  re-election. 

September  30,  1873,  he  was  exalted  to  the  degree  of  Royal 
Arch  Mason,  in  Franklin  Chapter,  No.  4,  and  the  following 
year  received  the  appointment  of  Grand  Master  of  the  Second 
Veil.  In  1875  he  was  elected  King,  and  in  1876,  M.  E.  High 
Priest,  serving  two  years,  when  he  declined  further  service. 

He  was  admitted  a  member  of  Franklin  Council,  No.  3, 
of  Nonvich,  November  6,  1873,  and  served  four  years  as  Cap- 
tain of  the  Guard,  from  1874.  In  1878  he  was  advanced  to 


THE    CENTENNIAL.  249 


Principal  Conductor  of  Work,  then  again  elected  to  his  former 
position,  which  he  filled  in  1879,  1880  and  1881.  In  1882  he 
was  elected  Right  Illustrious  Deputy  Master,  and  the  following 
year,  Thrice  Illustrious  Master,  which  office  he  held  for  five 
consecutive  years. 

He  was  knighted  in  Columbian  Commandery,  No.  4,  of 
Norwich,  May  9,  1879,  and  though  often  urged  to  allow  his 
name  to  be  presented  for  office  in  that  body,  has  refused,  and 
therefore  never  has  been  honored  by  an  election. 

In  1880  he  received  the  degrees  of  the  Ancient  Accepted 
Scottish  Rite,  in  the  bodies  at  Norwich,  becoming  a  member 
of  King  Solomon's  Grand  Lodge  of  Perfection ;  Van  Renssa- 
laer  Council,  Princes  of  Jerusalem ;  Norwich  Chapter  Rose 
Croix  de  H.  M.,  and  Connecticut  Sovereign  Consistory.  In 
these  bodies  he  holds  the  highest  office  in  the  gift  of  the  chap- 
ter, and  is  treasurer  of  the  Consistory,  which  offices  he  has 
held  for  many  years. 

September  14,  1886,  he  was  created  Sovereign  Grand  In- 
spector General,  33d°,  and  honorary  member  of  the  Supreme 
Council  of  the  Northern  Masonic  Jurisdiction  of  the  United 
States.  He  has  also  been  enrolled  as  a  member  of  the  order 
of  High  Priesthood  of  Connecticut,  and  to  complete  his  record, 
has  been  accepted  a  Noble  of  the  Mystic  Shrine,  in  Pyramid 
Temple,  of  Bridgeport. 

At  the  annual  communication  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  Jan- 
uary 21,  1885,  he  received  the  appointment  of  Grand  Senior 
Steward ;  at  the  next  annual  communication,  elected  Grand 
Junior  Deacon,  advancing  each  year,  until  1889,  he  was  elected 
Grand  Senior  Warden,  but  on  account  of  the  pressing  business 
demands  upon  his  time  and  energy,  he  was  forced  to  withdraw 
from  active  duty,  and  at  the  annual  session  held  in  1890, 
declined  election  to  any  office. 


250  THE    CENTENNIAL. 


Wherever  his  thought  and  activity  have  been  employed  in 
masonic  labor,  an  increased  interest  has  been  manifested  by 
the  members  of  the  body,  and  especially  in  the  council,  where 
his  service  was  recognized  so  many  years.  Perhaps,  no  ma- 
sonic body  in  the  State  could  boast  of  greater  prosperity  and 
interest  displayed,  than  Franklin  Council,  while  he  held  the 
office  of  Thrice  Illustrious  Master. 

Possessing  a  rare  tact  for  organizing,  and  ability  to  exe- 
cute his  plans,  with  a  genial  and  sprightly  nature,  he  carried 
an  inspiration  into  his  labor  that  was  felt  by  his  companions, 
and  made  him  a  successful  officer  in  every  position. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  251 


HENRY  H.  GREEN. 


Brother  Henry  Howe  Green  was  born  in  Brooklyn,  Con- 
necticut, August  4,  1840,  and  traces  his  ancestry  to  General 
Nathaniel  Greene,  of  Rhode  Island,  who  distinguished  himself 
in  several  engagements  during  the  revolutionary  struggle. 

Brother  Green  received  his  education  at  the  Plainfield 
Academy,  and  upon  graduating  therefrom,  engaged  as  teacher 
in  book-keeping  and  mathematics  in  Scholfield's  Commercial 
College,  Providence,  Rhode  Island,  where  he  remained  seven 
years.  . 

After  leaving  the  commercial  college,  he  engaged  in  his 
calling  as  book-keeper,  which  he  has  since  followed,  with  the 
exception  of  six  years,  when  in  the  business  of  brick  making. 

He  was  chairman  of  the  Board  of  Education  for  the  town 
of  Brooklyn  twelve  years,  and  held  the  office  of  Assessor  for 
ten  years. 

He  was  made  a  master  mason  in  Moriah  Lodge,  No.  15, 
located  at  Danielsonville,  March  7,  1866,  and  elected  Worship- 
ful Master  in  1873,  serving  one  year,  and  again  elected  in  1878 ; 
exalted  in  Warren  Chapter,  No.  12,  at  Danielsonville,  October 
21,  1873,  and  served  as  its  High  Priest  in  1880. 

In  Montgomery  Council,  No.  2,  he  received  the  degrees  of 
Royal  and  Select  Master,  May  7,  1875,  and  in  1882  was  elected 
Thrice  Illustrious  Master,  which  office  he  has  held  until  the 
present  time.  He  was  knighted  in  Columbian  Commandery, 
No.  4,  at  Norwich,  in  1875. 

At  the  annual  session  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  held  in  1880, 
brother  Green  was  appointed  Grand  Marshal,  and  from  this 
station  he  was  regularly  advanced  until  January  21,  1886,  when 


252  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


he  was  elected  Grand  Master,  serving  two  years.  These  years 
are  distinguished  for  the  rebellion  of  the  oldest  lodge  in  the 
jurisdiction,  against  the  authority  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  the 
trouble  being  caused  by  a  change  of  minor  importance  in  the 
mode  of  masonic  recognition,  which  had  been  ordered  by  the 
Grand  Lodge.  His  administration  was  successful,  and  all  the 
functions  of  the  office  were  discharged  with  a  commendable  zeal 
and  intelligence,  and  notwithstanding  the  rebellious  attitude  of 
"  Old  Hiram  "  during  his  two  years'  service  as  Grand  Master, 
the  craft,  with  this  single  exception,  was  distinguished  for  the 
unity  and  harmony  which  prevailed. 

At  the  annual  convocation  of  the  Grand  Chapter  in  1873, 
he  was  appointed  Steward,  and  passed  through  the  several  sta- 
tions to  that  of  Most  Excellent  King,  which  he  now  occupies, 
and  to  which  he  was  elected  in  May,  1890.  He  also  holds  the 
office  of  Grand  Principal  Conductor  of  work  in  the  Grand 
Council. 

As  a  man  and  companion,  brother  Green  has  a  genial, 
social  manner,  fond  of  companionship  and  pleasant  in  his  inter- 
course with  the  world.  As  a  worker  among  the  craft,  his 
ability  has  long  been  recognized  and  sought  in  the  immediate 
circle  of  his  masonic  associates,  and  his  system  and  executive 
ability  have  been  of  great  service  in  the  administration  of 
masonic  affairs. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  253 


JOHM    W.   PAUL. 


Brother  John  Wesley  Paul  is  the  son  of  James  Paul  and 
Mary  T.  (Brown)  Paul,  and  was  born  in  Portsmouth,  England, 
May  31,  1818.  Before  he  was  a  year  old  he  arrived  in  this 
country  and  landed  in  Baltimore,  Maryland,  where  his  early 
life  was  spent,  and  where  he  received  his  education,  which  was 
very  limited. 

In  1841  he  removed  from  Baltimore  to  Bethlehem,  Litch- 
field  County,  Connecticut,  where  he  remained  eight  years, 
and  from  thence  he  removed  to  Waterbury,  Connecticut,  in 
1849,  engaging  in  the  business  of  a  manufacturer  and  dealer 
in  cigars  and  tobacco,  under  the  firm  name  of  Coer  &  Paul. 
He  continued  in  this  business  in  Waterbury  until  1866,  when 
he  removed  to  New  York  city,  where  he  now  resides,  and  is 
the  Secretary  of  the  Hektograph  Manufacturing  Company, 
located  there. 

While  living  in  Waterbury,  he  was  for  several  years  the 
leading  trial  justice  of  the  town,  and  an  influential  and  zealous 
member  and  official  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

He  was  made  a  Mason  in  Harmony  Lodge,  No.  42,  May 
27,  1851,  and  entering  into  the  spirit  of  the  fraternity  with 
abounding  zeal,  he  soon  became  prominently  identified  with 
its  interests,  and  served  in  official  positions  of  honor.  After 
serving  one  year  as  Junior  Warden,  he  was  elected  Worshipful 
Master  in  1854,  and  re-elected  in  1855  and  1856. 

October  14,  1853,  he  was  exalted  a  Royal  Arch  Mason,  in 
Eureka  Chapter,  No.  22,  of  Waterbury,  and  served  as  its  High 
Priest  in  1859  and  1860.  He  was  also  a  member  of  Waterbury 
Council,  No.  21,  of  Royal  and  Select  Masters. 

He  was   knighted   in   New  Haven   Commandery,    No.   2, 


254  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


March  14,  1856,  and  when  Clark  Commandery,  No.  7,  of 
Waterbury,  was  organized,  he  became  one  of  its  charter 
members. 

At  the  annual  conclave  of  the  Grand  Commandery  (then 
Grand  Encampment)  of  Connecticut,  held  in  1859,  he  was 
elected  Grand  Standard  Bearer,  and  from  this  position  advanced 
through  the  stations  of  Grand  Junior  Warden ;  Grand  Captain 
General;  Grand  Generalissimo;  Deputy  Grand  Commander; 
and  May  10,  1866,  elected  Grand  Commander,  holding  the 
position  for  one  year.  His  address  to  the  Grand  Commandery 
at  the  close  of  his  term,  was  a  model  one,  and  full  of  that  high 
Christian  sentiment  which  is  so  characteristic  in  his  life.  He 
was  also  Grand  Secretary  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut, 
for  1865  and  1866,  but  on  account  of  his  removal  to  New  York, 
declined  further  service. 

He  is  an  easy  and  fluent  writer  and  speaker,  and  an  excel- 
lent presiding  officer ;  possessing  ability  to  organize,  with  tact 
to  execute,  and  his  perseverance,  study  and  good  judgment, 
have  been  sources  of  strength  to  him  in  every  commanding 
position  which  he  has  held.  The  foundation  of  his  character 
was  laid  deep,  and  broad,  and  strong,  resting  on  the  truths 
revealed  in  the  "  Great  Light  of  Masonry,"  and  all  the  Eternal 
verities.  Its  teachings  he  strives  to  live  and  practice  in  his  daily 
life,  and  the  grand  lessons  of  integrity,  generosity  and  love, 
have  become  richly  blended  in  his  nature,  and  woven  into 
his  character. 

He  still  remains  a  member  of  the  masonic  organizations  at 
Waterbury,  and  his  zeal  for  the  institution  has  increased  with 
his  years ;  and  among  the  fraternity  in  Waterbury  where  he  is 
best  known,  his  many  qualities  have  endeared  him  to  the  craft, 
where  he  takes  high  rank  among  the  Past  Masters  of  his  lodge 
and  the  members  of  his  Commandery. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  255 


WILLIAM  E.  HYDE. 


William  Edward  Hyde  was  born  in  Brooklyn,  Connecticut, 
August  14,  1843,  and  is  descended  from  an  old  and  respected 
New  England  family.  He  is  the  son  of  Edmund  Hyde,  who  was 
also  born  in  Brooklyn.  His  grandfather  was  Abner  Hyde,  of 
Canterbury.  His  great-grandfather,  Isaac  Hyde,  born  in  Can- 
terbury, was  a  lieutenant  in  the  rebel  army  under  Washington 
during  the  war  of  the  revolution.  His  great-great-grandfather 
was  Isaac  Hyde,  also  of  Canterbury. 

Brother  Hyde  gleaned  from  the  common  schools  and 
academies  of  those  times,  a  fairly  good  education,  and  posses- 
sing a  natural  taste  for  study  and  books,  has  continued  a  close 
student  in  search  of  practical  information  through  his  life. 

While  a  lad,  he  went  several  voyages  to  sea,  and  during 
the  war  of  the  rebellion  served  two  years  in  the  United  States 
Navy.  He  has  since  followed  the  profession  of  dentistry  most 
of  the  time,  though  finding  time  to  take  the  regular  course  in 
the  Boston  University  Law  School,  where  he  received  the 
degree  of  LL.  B.,  in  1877. 

He  has  represented  the  town  of  Killingly  in  the  Legisla- 
ture of  Connecticut,  served  four  years  as  judge  of  probate  in 
this  district,  and  was  an  aide  on  the  staff  of  Governor  H.  B. 
Harrison  of  Connecticut. 

He  was  made  a  Mason  in  Moriah  Lodge,  No.  15,  of 
Danielsonville,  where  he  now  resides,  January  16,  1867,  and 
received  the  third  degree  March  27th,  following;  exalted  in 
Warren  Chapter,  No.  12,  January  28,  1868 ;  and  knighted  in 
Columbian  Commandery,  No.  4,  of  Norwich,  November  26, 
1869. 


256  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


He  served  his  lodge  as  Senior  Warden  in  1870,  and  in 
1875  as  Worshipful  Master;  and  Secretary  of  Warren  Chapter, 
No.  12,  five  years,  from  1881  to  1886. 

In  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut  he  was  appointed 
Grand  Marshal  in  1888,  and  as  Grand  Junior  Deacon  in  1889; 
and  at  the  annual  communication  in  1890,  he  was  elected  Grand 
Junior  Warden. 

He  is  by  nature  of  a  rather  nervous  and  impulsive  temper- 
ament, yet  endowed  with  an  abundant  good  humor  and  vivacity, 
that  keeps  him  in  the  sunshine,  rather  than  in  the  shadows  of 
life.  His  opinions  are  often  quickly  formed,  and  as  quickly  he 
is  ready  to  advocate  them,  when  policy  would  perhaps  dic- 
tate caution  and  consideration.  He  is  fond  of  society  and  the 
companionship  of  his  brethren  of  the  "  mystic  tie,"  where  his 
genial  good  nature  and  flow  of  spirits  find  ample  scope,  inspir- 
ing good  cheer  and  animation  among  his  associates.  He  enter- 
tains a  deep  regard  for  the  institution  of  masonry,  and  all  his 
duties  are  performed  with  honesty  of  purpose,  and  a  high 
minded  integrity,  that  wins  confidence  and  esteem  among  those 
whom  he  meets  in  the  daily  walks  of  life,  and  brings  credit  to 
the  fraternity  of  which  he  is  a  member. 


^"A 

"^  ^^    ^ 

^    ^^    si=^) 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  257 


JOHN    W.    MIX. 


Brother  Mix  is  a  native  of  Cheshire,  Connecticut,  born 
March  31,  1850.  His  father  was  a  native  of  Wallingford,  Con- 
necticut, from  which  place  he  moved  to  Cheshire,  where  he 
carried  on  the  manufacture  of  hardware  until  1876,  when  his 
son,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  succeeded  to  the  business,  and 
continued  the  same  until  1884,  when  he  disposed  of  the  busi- 
ness and  removed  to  Southington. 

About  two  years  later  he  made  an  engagement  with  the 
firm  of  G.  I.  Mix  &  Co.,  of  Yalesville,  Connecticut,  with  whom 
he  is  still  associated,  holding  an  important  business  position. 

Brother  Mix,  on  the  night  of  coming  to  lawful  age,  sent 
his  application  to  become  a  mason  to  Temple  Lodge,  No.  16, 
of  Cheshire,  by  which  body  he  was  initiated  an  Entered  Ap- 
prentice, April  29,  1871 ;  passed  to  the  degree  of  Fellow  Craft 
May  6,  and  raised  to  the  degree  of  master  mason  on  the  20th 
of  the  same  month ;  so  that  within  a  short  time  after  he  had 
attained  his  majority  he  was  a  regular  member  of  the  craft. 

The  next  year  he  received  the  degrees  of  capitular  ma- 
sonry in  Eureka  Chapter,  No.  22,  of  Waterbury,  being  exalted 
to  the  rank  of  a  royal  arch  mason  June  12,  1872. 

Very  early  in  his  masonic  career,  Brother  Mix  gave  evi- 
dence of  zeal  and  ability  in  the  rendering  of  the  masonic  ritual, 
and  after  serving  in  several  minor  positions,  was  elected  Wor- 
shipful Master  in  1873,  re-elected  in  1874,  and  again  called  to 
the  same  office  in  1882  and  1883. 

In  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut  he  began  service  as 
Grand  Junior  Deacon  in  1881,  and  advanced  through  the  grades 
of  Grand  Senior  Deacon,  Grand  Junior  Warden,  Grand  Senior 

17 


258  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


Warden,  and  Deputy  Grand  Master,  until  the  annual  communi- 
cation of  the  Grand  Lodge,  in  January,  1888,  he  was  elected 
Grand  Master.  During  the  term  of  his  office  he  gave  a  faith- 
ful and  intelligent  direction  to  the  affairs  of  the  Grand  Lodge, 
and  his  administration  was  acceptable  to  his  brethren. 

Since  holding  the  office  of  Grand  Master  he  has  become  a 
member  of  St.  Elmo  Commandery,  No.  9,  of  Meriden,  being 
made  Sir  Knight  therein,  June  12,  1889. 

Brother  Mix  is  a  modest,  unassuming  man,  not  demon- 
strative in  voice  or  manner.  He  is  slow  and  cautious  in  form- 
ing judgments,  but  when  he  has  reached  conclusions  respecting 
any  matter,  is  not  easily  turned  aside  from  them.  He  reads 
character  readily,  understands  the  motives  and  influences  by 
\vhich  men  are  actuated,  and,  hence,  is  able  to  make  himself 
felt  in  a  body  without  revealing  himself  as  the  motive  power. 
He  has  a  uniform  and  pleasant  temperament,  genial,  and  a  good 
conversationalist.  He  has  a  great  regard  for  freemasonry,  and 
is  well  versed  in  its  ritual  and  jurisprudence.  He  makes  friends 
and  holds  them  in  a  firm  and  enduring  fellowship,  and  for  this 
fellowship  he  finds  ample  scope  within  the  lines  of  the  masonic 
fraternity. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  259 


AUGUSTUS    C.  GOLDING. 


Brother  Golding  is  a  descendant  from  England,  tracing 
his  genealogy  back  through  eight  generations.  He  was  born 
at  Greenwich,  Connecticut,  November  20,  1833,  and  received 
his  education  in  the  common  schools  at  Greenwich  and  at 
Fairfield.  He  then  learned  the  trade  of  joiner  and  carpenter, 
which  occupation  he  has  followed  through  his  life,  except 
when  filling  some  official  capacity  that  demanded  his  time  and 
attention. 

He  was  postmaster  at  Norwalk  from  1886  to  1890;  a 
member  of  the  court  of  burgesses ;  for  nine  years,  water  com- 
missioner ;  town  assessor ;  member  of  the  board  of  relief,  and 
a  justice  of  the  peace. 

At  the  breaking  out  of  the  civil  war,  he  enlisted  in  the 
twelfth  regiment  United  States  Infantry,  November  23,  1861, 
and  was  appointed  sergeant,  from  date  of  enlistment,  assigned 
to  Company  G,  first  battalion  ;  appointed  commissary-sergeant, 
September  1,  1862,  and  discharged  November  22,  1864. 

He  was  made  a  Freemason  in  St.  John's  Lodge,  No.  6,  of 
Norwalk,  after  his  return  from  the  war ;  receiving  the  degree  of 
entered  apprentice,  February  7,  1867 ;  passed,  March  14th, 
and  made  a  master  mason,  March  21st  of  the  same  year.  He 
immediately  entered  into  the  work,  filling  subordinate  stations, 
when  in  1872,  he  was  elected  Master,  serving  one  year,  and 
again  elected  in  1877,  serving  two  years. 

He  was  exalted  a  Royal  Arch  Mason,  in  Washington 
Chapter,  No.  24,  at  Norwalk,  June  26,  1867,  and  three  years 
after  was  elected  High  Priest,  serving  one  year  in  1870;  again 
elected  in  1874,  serving  three  years,  and  again  in  1886. 

He  received  the  degrees  of  Cryptic  masonry,  in  Washing- 
ton Council,  No.  17,  at  Norwalk,  July  10,  1867,  and  served  as 


260  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


its  Thrice    Illustrious   Master  three  years,  dating  from   1*71. 

In  Clinton  Commandery,  No  3,  he  was  knighted  Septem- 
ber 13,  1867,  and  elected  Eminent  Commander  in  1871,  and 
again  called  to  the  office  in  187H. 

It  will  be  seen  by  the  foregoing,  that  the  masonic  record 
of  brother  Golding  is  full  of  activity,  receiving  all  his  masonic 
degrees  in  a  little  more  than  seven  months,  and  very  soon 
becoming  the  presiding  officer  of  each  body. 

In  the  Grand  Bodies  he  has  filled  many  important  stations, 
discharging  his  duties  always  with  honesty  of  purpose,  and 
prudence.  At  the  annual  communication  of  the  Grand  Lodge, 
held  in  1878,  he  received  the  appointment  of  Grand  Senior 
Steward,  holding  the  office  two  years ;  then  advanced  through 
the  positions  of  Grand  Junior  Deacon  ;  Grand  Junior  Warden  ; 
Grand  Senior  Warden  ;  and  in  1884  was  elected  Deputy  Grand 
Master,  holding  one  year.  March  19,  1878,  he  was  appointed 
Grand  Standard  Bearer  in  the  Grand  Commandery ;  in  1879 
was  elected  Grand  Junior  Warden ;  in  1880,  Grand  Prelate ;  in 
1881,  Grand  Captain  General;  and  March  21,  1882,  he  was 
elected  Grand  Commander. 

In  all  official  stations  in  the  Grand  Bodies,  his  duties  have 
been  honestly  and  conscientiously  performed,  being  actuated 
by  that  high  sense  of  honor  that  is  characteristic  of  so  many 
of  his  ancestors,  that  called  them  to  fill  positions  of  trust  and 
dignity  at  "  the  bar  or  bench,"  or  at  the  holy  altar. 

He  loves  the  institution  for  its  companionship,  as  well  as 
for  the  lessons  that  lie  beneath  its  forms  and  ceremonials,  that 
so  effectually  tend  to  elevate  the  character  and  mould  the  dis- 
position into  a  life  of  good  deeds.  In  every  relation  of  life, 
social,  political  and  masonic,  he  has  earned  the  respect  and 
confidence  of  all  who  know  him,  who  would  never  doubt  his 
honesty  or  question  his  integrity. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  261 


WILLIAM  \v.  STOREY. 


William  Walker  Storey,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  is  of 
English  extraction,  and  was  born  November  24,  1812,  at  Brid- 
lington  Quay,  on  the  east  coast  of  Yorkshire,  England.  In  the 
year  1818  the  family  removed  to  Leeds,  West  Riding,  of  York- 
shire, where  young  Storey  received  his  education  in  the  com- 
mon schools.  After  acquiring  his  education,  he  learned  the 
dyer's  trade,  which  he  has  followed  through  life,  and  is  still 
employed  in  a  dyeing  establishment  at  Norwalk,  Connecticut. 

In  1837  he  came  to  the  United  States,  landing  in  New 
York  on  June  9th,  and  traveled  over  nearly  the  entire  country. 
In  1840  he  returned  to  England,  where  he  married  his  present 
wife,  and  in  1844  returned  again  to  the  United  States,  which 
has  since  been  his  home. 

In  1851  he  located  in  Norwalk,  and  was  there  made  a 
mason,  in  St.  John's  Lodge,  No.  6,  December  18,  of  the  same 
year,  and  elected  Junior  Deacon.  December  16,  1852,  he  was 
elected  Senior  Deacon,  then  Senior  Warden,  and  in  1854,  Wor- 
shipful Master.  The  following  year  he  was  elected  Secretary, 
which  office  he  continued  to  fill  for  fifteen  years. 

At  the  annual  communication  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  held 
in  1858,  he  was  appointed  Grand  Marshal  by  Most  Worshipful 
George  F.  Daskam,  which  constituted  him  a  permanent  mem- 
ber of  the  Grand  Lodge. 

He  was  exalted  to  the  degree  of  Royal  Arch  Mason  in 
Washington  Chapter,  No.  24,  of  Norwalk,  April  16,  1852,  and 
December  16,  of  the  same  year,  he  was  elected  Principal  So- 
journer.  After  two  years  service  in  subordinate  stations,  he 
was,  on  December  i),  1856,  elected  High  Priest,  filling  the  office 


262  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


for  one  year,  and  again  elected,  December  18,  1860.  In  the 
Grand  Chapter  he  was  appointed  Grand  Steward,  which  office 
he  held  one  year,  making  him  a  permanent  member. 

He  was  knighted  in  Clinton  Commandery,  No.  3,  at  Nor- 
walk,  May  31,  1853,  and  elected  Junior  Warden  the  same  year, 
holding  the  office  until  1861,  and  then  elected  Eminent  Com- 
mander, serving  seven  years,  also  in  1870  and  1874.  In  1865 
he  was  appointed  Grand  Sword  Bearer  in  the  Grand  Com- 
mandery, and  advanced  through  the  regular  stations  except 
Grand  Prelate  and  Grand  Generalissimo,  and,  in  1871,  elected 
Grand  Commander,  serving  one  year. 

He  was  also  a  member  of  Washington  Council,  No.  17,  at 
Norwalk ;  served  one  year  as  Captain  of  the  Guard,  and  four 
years,  from  1862  as  Thrice  Illustrious  Master. 

Our  brother  may  be  classed  among  the  most  faithful  of 
masonic  veterans  in  Connecticut.  From  his  first  admission 
into  freemasonry,  he  entered  into  the  spirit  of  the  order  with 
much  zeal ;  was  a  good  ritualist  and  effective  worker,  having 
ability  to  organize  and  tact  to  execute.  In  his  daily  life,  he 
displays  an  abundance  of  that  geniality  and  good  fellowship 
that  is  characteristic  of  his  race,  and  possessing  a  tenacity  of 
purpose,  his  views  on  any  subject  are  firmly  fixed  when  con- 
clusions have  once  been  reached.  Among  his  brothers  and 
companions,  whose  fellowship  he  enjoys,  he  has  found  much  to 
lighten  his  pathway  through  the  journey  of  life ;  and  now,  in 
his  old  age,  these  memories  are  cherished  in  his  heart  as  some 
of  the  most  pleasant  reminiscences  of  a  long  and  active  life. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  2ti3 


JOHN    G.    PCEIGWIN. 


Brother  Keigwin  is  from  old  New  England  stock,  being  a 
son  of  John,  and  Thisbe  (Phillips)  Keigwin,  born  in  Griswold, 
Connecticut,  January  29,  1825.  His  father  was  a  native  of 
Griswold,  and  his  mother  was  born  in  Hopkintown,  Washington 
county,  Rhode  Island,  and  married  in  1823. 

When  young  Keigwin  was  but  two  years  old,  his  father 
died,  and  a  short  time  thereafter  he  removed  with  his  mother 
to  Willimantic,  Connecticut.  At  the  age  of  ten  years  he  went 
with  his  mother  to  Buffalo,  New  York,  where  they  intended  to 
remain,  but  within  two  years  his  mother  died,  and  he  returned 
with  an  uncle  to  Willimantic  in  1837,  where  he  has  since  resided. 

He  received  only  a  common  school  education,  and  entered 
as  an  operative  in  the  Windham  Cotton  Manufactory,  and 
afterwards  as  overseer,  where  he  remained  until  1850,  when  he 
resigned.  He  then  entered  the  retail  clothing  trade  and  became 
actively  engaged  in  the  business,  which  he  followed  until  1884, 
and  then  retired  from  business. 

He  has  been  a  member  of  the  Windham  Board  of  Relief 
for  four  years;  Register  of  the  town  of  Windham  since  1877, 
and  re-elected  in  October,  1890,  to  serve  for  1891.  He  has 
been  a  member  of  the  Willimantic  Board  of  Relief  for  four 
years,  and  one  of  the  Burgesses  for  eleven  years ;  and  in  1885, 
a  member  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  serving  on  the 
Committee  of  Insurance. 

Brother  Keigwin  was  made  a  mason  in  Eastern  Star  Lodge, 
No.  44,  at  Willimantic,  in  January,  1853,  and  there  are  at  the 
present  time  but  three  members  of  the  lodge  older  than  he. 
He  is  also  a  member  of  Trinity  Chapter,  No.  9,  and  Olive 


264  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


Branch  Council,  No.  10,  of  Willimantic ;  and  Columbian  Com- 
mandery,  No.  4,  at  Norwich.  In  the  lodge  he  served  as  Junior 
Deacon  from  1853  to  1855,  inclusive  ;  as  Junior  Warden  in  1857 
and  1862 ;  Senior  Warden  in  1858  and  1863,  and  as  Worship- 
ful Master  three  years,  from  1874  to  1876 ;  besides  serving  as 
Marshal  in  1865  and  1866,  and  as  Treasurer  from  1867  to  1872, 
inclusive.  He  also  served  as  Scribe  of  Trinity  Chapter,  No.  y, 
eight  years,  from  1874  to  1881,  inclusive. 

In  1878  brother  Keigwin  was  appointed  Grand  Junior 
Steward  of  the  Grand  Lodge;  in  1879  he  was  elected  Grand 
Junior  Deacon ;  and  Grand  Senior  Deacon  in  1880,  serving 
one  year,  the  elective  offices  constituting  him  a  permanent 
member. 

In  all  his  relations  with  the  public  where  he  is  known,  and 
the  fraternity  with  which  he  is  identified,  he  holds  their  confi- 
dence and  esteem.  Being  a  person  endowed  with  an  impulsive 
nature,  blended  with  an  abounding  vigor  and  strength  of  man- 
hood, he  enters  into  all  the  activities  of  life  with  abundant  zeal 
and  force,  and  a  consciousness  of  his  ability  to  succeed  ;  and  his 
energy  has  been  felt  in  all  the  enterprises  with  which  he  has 
been  connected.  He  is  sociable  in  his  intercourse  with  men, 
fond  of  their  companionships,  and  prizes  the  fraternity  for  these 
qualities  so  congenial  to  his  nature,  where  he  has  found  much 
to  lighten  the  pathway  of  life,  and  give  strength  to  the  better 
elements  of  man's  nature. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  265 


CLARK  BUCKINGHAM. 


The  present  Grand  Master  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Con- 
necticut, Brother  Clark  Buckingham,  is  a  descendant  from 
good  New  England  stock,  and  traces  his  genealogy  to  Thomas 
Buckingham,  one  of  the  Puritan  settlers  who  arrived  in  this 
country  from  England,  June  26,  1637,  and  located  at  Milford, 
Connecticut. 

Brother  Buckingham  was  born  in  the  town  of  New  Mil- 
ford,  Northville  Parish,  Connecticut,  August  5,  1831,  where  he 
remained  until  he  attained  his  majority.  His  education  was 
acquired  at  the  common  district  school  of  the  parish,  and  un- 
der the  pressure  of  "rod  and  rule." 

At  the  breaking  out  of  the  civil  war  he  enlisted  as  a  pri- 
vate soldier  in  the  Union  army,  serving  three  years,  when  he 
received  an  honorable  discharge.  Returning  to  his  native 
town,  he  remained  until  the  fall  of  1868,  when  he  removed  to 
New  Haven,  where  he  now  resides ;  his  business  connections 
for  the  past  eleven  years  being  with  Messrs.  G.  J.  Moffatt  &  Co., 
as  superintendent  in  their  envelope  and  paper  bag  manufactory. 

He  began  his  masonic  career  in  Trumbull  Lodge,  No.  22, 
where  he  was  made  a  master  mason,  June  27,  1871,  and  en- 
tered zealously  into  the  work,  he  being  elevated  soon  after  to 
official  positions  in  his  lodge,  and  in  December,  1875,  was 
elected  its  Worshipful  Master,  and  again  in  1880  and  1881. 
The  capitular  degrees  of  masonry  were  conferred  upon  him  in 
Franklin  Chapter,  No.  2,  Royal  Arch  Masons,  in  1874,  and  he 
was  exalted  to  the  sublime  degree  of  the  Royal  Arch,  November 
3d,  of  that  year.  He  became  a  member  of  Harmony  Council, 
No.  8,  March  19,  1877,  and  received  the  orders  of  Knighthood 
in  New  Haven  Commandery,  No.  2,  June  15,  1877. 


266  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


Since  his  introduction  into  the  fraternity  he  has  been  most 
ardently  identified  with  its  interests,  and  his  counsel  and  judg- 
ment are  frequently  sought,  and  his  unbiased  opinion  most 
freely  given. 

At  the  annual  communication  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  in 
1883,  he  received  the  appointment  of  Grand  Junior  Steward, 
which  was  conferred  upon  him  by  his  fellow  townsman  and 
lodge-brother,  Fred.  H.  Waldron,  who,  the  same  year,  was 
elected  Grand  Master.  He  was  regularly  advanced,  step  by 
step,  until  January  15,  1890,  when  he  was  elected  Grand 
Master,  serving  faithfully  the  interests  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  and 
very  acceptably  to  the  craft. 

In  character,  brother  Buckingham  may  be  distinguished 
by  his  circumspect  and  upright  conduct,  and  cautious,  yet 
earnest  fidelity.  His  amiable  and  social  habits,  his  warm  and 
disinterested  friendship,  his  devotion  to  principle,  and  his 
kindly  intercourse  with  his  brethren  and  fellow  men,  are  com- 
bined virtues  that  help  to  make  a  true  freemason,  and  an  orna- 
ment to  the  fraternity  of  which  he  is  proud,  and  whose  welfare 
he  has  ever  in  remembrance. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  267 


NATHAN     DIKEMAN. 


The  genealogy  of  brother  Dikeman  is  traced  to  English 
and  Dutch  origin.  His  paternal  ancestors  came  from  Holland 
and  settled  upon  Long  Island,  in  the  vicinity  of  what  is  now 
Brooklyn,  New  York.  His  grandfather,  Daniel  Dikeman,  lived 
in  Westport,  Connecticut,  was  a  soldier  of  the  Continental  line 
in  the  war  of  the  revolution,  and  died  at  Westport,  at  the  age 
of  ninety-three.  His  father,  Nathan  Dikeman,  was  born  in 
Westport  in  1793,  lived  in  Danbury  several  years,  where  he 
married  Cythia  Osborne,  daughter  of  elder  Levi  Osborne  of 
that  town,  who  also  served  in  the  army  of  the  revolution.  He 
commenced  business  in  Hartford,  and  afterwards  removed  to 
Northampton,  Massachusetts,  and  engaged  in  the  manufacture 
of  hats  and  furs,  which  he  followed  for  many  years,  and  was 
succeeded  by  his  oldest  son  Henry. 

His  ancestors  on  his  maternal  side  were  from  England, 
and  the  full  genealogy  is  recorded  in  the  genealogical  record  of 
the  Stephen  Whitney  family. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  Northampton, 
Massachusetts,  December  9,  1828;  graduating  at  the  high 
school  in  that  town  in  1843.  He  then  entered  the  drug  store 
of  Mr.  Winthrop  Hillyer,  and  served  an  apprenticeship  of 
seven  years. 

In  1850  he  removed  to  Waterbury,  Connecticut,  and 
entered  into  partnership  with  E.  Leavenworth,  under  the  firm 
name  of  Leavenworth  &  Dikeman,  which  firm  continued  in  the 
drug  business  forty  years,  until  May,  1890,  when  he  purchased 
the  interest  of  Mr.  Leavenworth,  and  now  continues  the  busi- 
ness which  was  first  established  in  1770,  the  concern  being  one 
of  the  oldest  of  its  kind  in  Connecticut. 


268  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


In  the  town  and  city  government  of  Waterbury  he  has 
held  many  offices,  serving  as  alderman  for  ten  years,  and  acting 
mayor  of  the  city  in  1854;  and  at  the  present  time  holds  the 
position  of  president  of  the  Waterbury  Savings  Bank;  the 
Bronson  Library;  and  the  Riverside  Cemetery  Association. 
He  was  the  first  president  of  the  Connecticut  Pharmaceutical 
Association,  and  now  one  of  its  oldest  living  members. 

Brother  Dikeman  was  initiated  into  freemasonry  in  Har- 
mony Lodge,  No.  42,  of  Waterbury,  in  1851,  and  the  same 
year  was  elected  Senior  Warden.  The  following  year  he  was 
elected  Worshipful  Master  at  the  age  of  twenty-four  years,  and 
again  elected  in  1860. 

In  1870,  when  Continental  Lodge,  No.  76,  was  organized, 
he  became  one  of  its  charter  members. 

In  1854  he  was  appointed  Grand  Sentinel  of  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  Connecticut,  which  constituted  him  a  permanent 
member,  but  declined  further  promotion. 

He  was  exalted  a  Royal  Arch  Mason  in  Eureka  Chapter, 
No.  22,  April  26,  1852,  and  held  the  position  of  High  Priest 
in  1855  and  1856.  He  also  became  a  charter  member  of 
Waterbury  Council,  No.  21,  when  it  was  organized,  and  held 
several  subordinate  positions,  but  never  became  much  interested 
in  Cryptic  masonry. 

On  the  14th  of  March,  1856,  he  was  knighted  in  New 
Haven  Commandery,  No.  2,  and  at  the  organization  of  Clark 
Commandery,  No.  7,  was  one  of  its  charter  members  and 
became  a  most  ardent  supporter.  He  was  elected  the  first 
Eminent  Commander,  serving  three  years,  and  again  in  1879 
and  1880;  since  which  he  has  filled  the  office  of  Prelate. 

In  the  Grand  Bodies  of  Connecticut,  his  activity  has  been 
centered  in  the  Grand  Chapter  and  Grand  Commandery,  serv- 
ing as  M.  E.  Grand  High  Priest  in  1860  and  1861;  and  as  R. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  269 


E.  Grand  Commander  in  1874,  having  been  regularly  advanced 
from  subordinate  stations.  He  also  held  several  positions  in 
the  Grand  Council,  and  in  1864  was  elected  Deputy  Puissant 
Grand  Master,  but  did  not  advance  further.  He  is  also  the 
Representative  for  the  Grand  Lodge,  and  Grand  Chapter  of 
Minnesota,  and  Grand  Commandery  of  Indiana,  near  the  cor- 
responding Grand  Bodies  of  Connecticut. 

In  every  station  he  has  served  with  zeal  and  fidelity,  and 
after  having  been  promoted  to  the  highest  station,  has  never 
lost  his  interest  in  freemasonry  at  the  end  of  his  official  admin- 
istration, but  continued  an  active  and  zealous  worker. 

Much  of  his  time  in  later  years  has  been  devoted  to  ma- 
sonic labor  of  a  literary  character,  having  written  and  delivered 
many  addresses  upon  masonic  subjects,  and  prepared  for  pub- 
lication a  complete  history  of  freemasonry  in  Waterbury,  from 
the  time  of  its  introduction — when  the  first  lodge  was  organ- 
ized in  1765 — to  the  year  1890;  also  historical  sketches  of  the 
various  masonic  organizations  of  Waterbury. 

His  judgment  is  conservative,  united  with  strength  of  char- 
acter and  possessed  of  a  social  nature,  blended  with  a  charita- 
ble disposition.  His  friendships  are  sincere  and  lasting  and 
his  opposings,  when  considered  necessary,  are  firm  and  stead- 
fast, though  uttered  in  the  spirit  of  brotherly  kindness.  To  the 
craft  he  is  sincerely  devoted,  and  to  his  influence  and  labor  for 
many  years,  freemasonry  in  his  vicinity  is  largely  indebted  for 
its  success,  integrity  and  strength. 


270  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


WILLIAM    W.    PRICE. 


Brother  William  Whitney  Price  was  born  in  the  city  of 
New  Haven,  Connecticut,  September  6,  1846,  where  his  ances- 
tors on  his  mother's  side  have  resided  for  many  generations. 
His  father  was  a  sea  captain,  and  was  lost  at  sea  when  young 
Price  was  about  six  years  of  age. 

Brother  Price  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools 
of  New  Haven,  and  about  ten  days  before  his  sixteenth  birth- 
day, he  enlisted  in  the  27th  Regiment  Connecticut  Volunteers, 
and  was  seriously  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville, 
Virginia,  the  wound  remaining  unhealed  for  eight  years.  On 
his  return  from  the  war,  he  engaged  in  various  pursuits  until 
the  year  1870,  when  he  engaged  in  the  business  of  directory 
publishing,  and  is  the  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Price,  Lee 
&  Company,  of  New  Haven,  and  president  of  The  Price,  Lee 
&  Adkins  Company,  printers  and  book-binders. 

Brother  Price  has  never  held  public  office,  as  his  tastes  do 
not  lead  him  into  the  political  field.  He  was  made  a  mason  in 
Day  Spring  Lodge,  No.  30,  at  Hamden,  March  23,  1872,  when 
he  became  an  active  member,  serving  in  1874  as  the  Junior 
Steward,  and  in  1875  as  the  Senior  Warden.  At  the  annual 
communication  of  the  lodge,  held  in  December,  1877,  he  was 
elected  Worshipful  Master,  holding  the  office  one  year. 

He  was  made  a  Royal  Arch  Mason  in  Franklin  Chapter, 
No.  2,  at  New  Haven,  December  4,  1877,  and  served  as  its 
High  Priest  three  years.  He  was  received  in  Harmony  Coun- 
cil, No.  8,  Royal  and  Select  Masters,  February  18,  1878,  and 
was  elected  its  Thrice  Illustrious  Master  in  1881,  holding  the 
office  one  year;  and  knighted  in  New  Haven  Commandery, 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  271 


No.  2,  October  17,  1879,  in  which  he  filled  the  office  of  War- 
der ;  Junior  Warden ;  Captain  General,  and  Generalissimo ; 
holding  the  last  office  four  years,  and  declining  an  election  to 
the  office  of  Eminent  Commander.  He  is  also  a  member  of 
E.  G.  Storer  Lodge  of  Perfection,  A.  A.  S.  R.,  at  New  Haven, 
and  a  member  of  Pyramid  Temple,  Nobles  of  the  Mystic  Shrine, 
at  Bridgeport. 

Since  1877  he  has  been  a  regular  attendant  at  the  sessions 
of  the  Grand  Lodge,  and  served  in  positions  of  responsibility. 
In  1884  he  was  the  District  Deputy  for  New  Haven  county, 
and  appointed  Grand  Marshal  of  the  Grand  Lodge  in  1885, 
holding  that  office  three  years.  At  the  annual  session  in  1888, 
he  was  elected  Grand  Junior  Deacon ;  then  advanced  to  the 
office  of  Grand  Senior  Deacon,  and  in  1890  elected  Grand 
Senior  Warden. 

In  the  Grand  Council  of  Connecticut,  he  began  service  in 
1883,  as  Grand  Conductor,  and  regularly  advancd  to  the  posi- 
tions of  Grand  Captain  of  Guard ;  Grand  Principal  Conductor 
of  Work,  and  Thrice  Illustrious  Grand  Master  in  1886.  At  the 
annual  assembly  in  1887,  he  was  unanimously  elected  D.  P. 
Grand  Master,  but  declined  acceptance  on  account  of  the  press- 
ing nature  of  his  business  which  demanded  his  undivided 
attention. 

In  all  positions,  grand  or  subordinate,  he  has  discharged 
his  duties  with  fidelity,  and  with  satisfaction  to  the  craft.  He 
is  devoted  to  the  interests  of  freemasonry  in  all  its  branches, 
where  he  has  found  much  of  that  fraternal  fellowship  so  adapted 
to  one  possessing  a  social  and  sprightly  nature  like  his  own. 
He  is  fond  of  society,  and  enjoys  the  companionships  of  his 
fellows  with  unalloyed  pleasure,  and  being  possessed  of  a  large 
warm  heart,  and  a  generous,  vivacious  temperament,  he  enters 
into  their  companionships  with  much  sunshine  and  good-cheer. 


272  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


His  opinions  are  conservative,  and  judgments  generally  correct, 
which  are  often  quickly  formed.  He  loves  the  fraternity  more 
for  the  social  and  brotherly  element  existing  in  it,  than  for  its 
philosophic  dogmas,  and  because  the  institution  is  itself  large 
hearted,  reaching  out  with  its  fraternal  hand  touch  to  the 
brotherhood  of  humanitv. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  273 


.  A. 


Brother  Spencer  descends  from  New  England  ancestors, 
and  was  born  in  Waterbury,  Conn.,  November  7,  1833.  He 
received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Waterbury,  and 
at  Williston  Seminary,  of  East  Hampton,  Massachusetts,  and 
was  prepared  to  enter  the  profession  of  civil  engineering;  but, 
after  leaving  the  seminary,  he  entered  into. the  employ  of  a 
manufacturing  company  in  Waterbury,  where  he  remained  until 
1858.  He  then  removed  to  Kansas,  and  in  1860,  to  Colorado, 
where  he  was  engaged  as  civil  engineer  and  mining,  until  May, 
1<S(52,  when  he  enlisted  in  the  Second  Colorado  Cavalry,  serv- 
ing in  the  regiment  until  the  fall  of  18(55,  when  he  was  dis- 
charged from  service  as  a  first  lieutenant.  He  was  wounded  at 
the  battle  of  "Little  Blue"  Missouri,  on  the  21st  of  October, 
1864. 

After  his  discharge  from  the  military  service,  he  returned 
East,  and  for  several  years  was  engaged  in  manufacturing,  when 
he  retired  from  active  business  and  devoted  his  time  in  caring 
for  the  business  of  his  aged  and  infirm  father. 

He  was  for  eleven  years  in  the  military  service  of  this 
State,  resigning  the  position  of  Brigade  Inspector  of  Rifle 
Practice  in  1885,  and  in  all  his  experience  in  military  service 
has  maintained  an  excellent  standing  as  an  officer. 

In  his  native  city,  where  he  now  resides,  he  has  been 
elected  several  times  to  positions  of  honor  and  trust,  and  is  a 
director  in  the  Dime  Savings  Bank  of  Waterbury. 

He  was  initiated  into  freemasonry  on  October  4,  185"),  in 
Harmony  Lodge,  No.  42,  of  Waterbury,  and  became  a  charter 
member  of  Continental  Lodge,  No.  7(3,  serving  at  present  as 
one  of  its  trustees. 

18 


274  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


He  was  exalted  in  Eureka  Chapter,  No.  22,  April  23, 
1856;  received  in  Waterbury  Council,  No.  21,  Royal  and 
Select  Masters,  June  18,  1856 ;  and  knighted  in  Clark  Com- 
mandery,  No.  7,  January  23,  1866,  he  being  the  first  one 
knighted  in  the  commandery.  In  the  order  of  Knights  Tem- 
plars he  has  been  an  active  worker,  and  served  as  Eminent 
Commander  of  Clark  Commandery  in  1870,  being  the  third 
one  elected  to  that  office. 

January  29,  1874,  he  became  a  member  of  Charter  Oak 
Lodge  of  Perfection,  A.  A.  S.  R.,  of  Hartford,  also  of  Hartford 
Council,  Princes  of  Jerusalem,  and  Cyrus  Goodell  Chapter 
Rose  Croix.  He  is  also  a  member  of  Lafayette  Consistory, 
A.  A.  S.  R.,  of  Bridgeport,  and  Mecca  Temple  of  the  Mystic 
Shrine,  of  New  York. 

March  21,  1882,  he  received  the  appointment  of  Warder 
in  the  Grand  Commandery  of  Connecticut,  and  was  regularly 
advanced  from  one  station  to  another,  until  the  annual  con- 
clave in  1889,  when  he  was  elected  Grand  Commander,  serving 
one  year. 

His  love  for  military  and  regard  for  energetic  discipline, 
with  a  tendency  to  admire  pageantry  when  combined  as  an 
auxiliary  to  ceremonial,  has  naturally  absorbed  his  activities  in 
the  order  of  Knights  Templars,  for  which  he  has  a  deep  re- 
gard ;  yet,  he  has  an  attachment  for  the  blue  lodge  as  well,  and 
all  other  branches  of  the  extended  system  of  freemasonry. 

He  is  one  who  stands  firmly  by  his  convictions,  which  are 
not  easily  moved,  yet,  when  convinced  of  error,  gracefully 
yields  the  point  at  issue.  His  friendships  are  not  hastily 
formed,  but  when  once  established  are  never  sundered  without 
cause.  In  his  native  city  and  among  his  companions,  he  is 
regarded  as  an  honest  and  upright  citizen,  and  as  a  member 
of  society  and  in  every  relation  of  life,  his  influence  is  sought 
and  felt. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  275 


Though  not  a  member  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  this  sketch  is 
published  on  account  of  his  position  as  Grand  Commander  at 
the  time  of  the  Centennial,  and  his  interest  in  the  ceremonies 
as  the  head  of  the  order  of  Knights  Templars,  which  had  been 
invited  to  participate. 


276  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


HUQH     STIRLIXQ. 


The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  London,  England, 
January  1(3,  1848,  and  was  the  third  son  of  Hugh  and  Eleanor 
Stirling.  His  father  was  born  in  Falkirk,  Scotland,  and  was  a 
descendant  of  Sir  Thomas  Stirling,  born  in  Scotland  in  1735, 
who  served  on  the  British  side  with  great  ability  in  the  war  of 
the  revolution. 

In  1850,  the  family  with  the  exception  of  Hugh,  came  to 
this  country  and  settled  in  Bridgeport,  Connecticut.  Hugh  was 
adopted  by  a  cousin,  and  placed  in  Grove  House  Academy, 
Highgate,  a  short  distance  from  London,  where  he  remained 
until  September,  1800,  when  he  sailed  for  this  country  and 
joined  his  parents  at  Bridgeport. 

Shortly  after  his  arrival,  he  was  apprenticed  to  an  orna- 
menter,  which  business  he  followed  for  about  fifteen  years.  In 
1878  he  was  engaged  as  foreman  in  one  of  the  departments  of 
the  Howe  Sewing  Machine  Company,  where  he  remained  in 
that  capacity  until  1885,  when  he  started  a  mattress  factory, 
in  which  business  he  has  since  been  engaged. 

He  has  served  the  city  of  Bridgeport  two  years  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Common  Council,  and  four  years  on  the  Board  of 
Police  Commissioners. 

Brother  Stirling  was  raised  to  the  degree  of  master  mason, 
in  St.  John's  Lodge,  No.  3,  of  Bridgeport,  September  1,  I*"!'.' ; 
exalted  in  Jerusalem  Chapter,  No.  13,  March  11,  1870;  re- 
ceived in  Jerusalem  Council,  No.  10,  May  9,  1870;  and 
knighted  in  Hamilton  Commandery,  No.  5,  August  11,  1870. 

In  all  these  bodies  he  has  held  a  lively  interest,  and  his 
energy  has  been  devoted  officially  in  many  ways  for  their 
advancement  and  influence.  Having  held  the  several  positions 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  277 


of  Junior  Deacon,  Junior  and  Senior  Warden  of  his  lodge,  in 
1875  he  was  elected  Worshipful  Master,  and  re-elected  in  1.876 
and  1877,  and  again  in  1882  and  1883,  serving  in  all,  five  years. 
He  served  in  the  office  of  High  Priest  in  the  Chapter  in  1874 
and  1875 ;  Thrice  Illustrious  Master  of  the  Council  in  1873 
and  1874;  and  Eminent  Commander  of  the  Commandery  three 
years,  from  1881  ;  and  for  the  past  four  years  has  been  its 
Prelate. 

In  the  Grand  Bodies  of  Connecticut,  his  interest  has  been 
centered  in  the  Grand  Lodge  and  Grand  Commandery,  serving 
in  the  first  as  District  Deputy  Grand  Master  in  1884  and  1885, 
and  receiving  the  appointment  of  Grand  Senior  Steward  in  1886. 
At  the  annual  communication  in  1887,  he  was  elected  Grand 
Junior  Deacon,  from  which  station  he  has  been  regularly 
advanced,  step  by  step,  to  the  office  of  Deputy  Grand  Master, 
which  he  now  holds. 

In.  the  Grand  Commandery  he  received  the  appointment 
of  Grand  Sentinel  in  1886 ;  advanced  in  1887  to  the  office  of 
Grand  Sword  Bearer;  then  Grand  Standard  Bearer;  elected 
Grand  Junior  Warden  in  1889,  and  Grand  Senior  Warden  in 
1890. 

Brother  Stirling  may  be  classed  among  those,  who  by 
affable  and  gentlemanly  bearing,  with  courteous  manners,  holds 
his  associates  and  companions  in  the  bond  of  fellowship.  He 
is  not  possessed  of  an  aggressive  nature,  and  yet  there  is  suffi- 
cient of  that  sturdy  Scotch  element  in  his  composition  to  main- 
tain the  dignity,  respect  and  obedience  of  those  who  come 
under  his  authority,  enforcing  discipline  without  being  auto- 
cratic, and  retaining  the  respect  and  confidence  of  all  those  with 
whom  he  comes  in  contact,  whether  in  business  or  social  rela- 
tions, and  with  his  brethren  and  companions,  who  respect  him 
for  his  virtues,  and  honor  him  for  his  integrity. 


278  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


WILLIAM  R.  HIQBY. 


William  Riley  Higby  was  born  in  Bridgeport,  Connecticut. 
August  6,  1825,  where  he  has  lived  ever  since.  His  parents, 
Richard  Higby  and  Avis  (Baldwin)  Higby,  were  both  natives 
of  Milford,  Connecticut,  and  his  grand-parents,  Samuel  and 
Hannah  Higby,  were  born  in  Middletown,  Connecticut. 

Brother  Higby  commenced  business  as  book-keeper  and 
teller  in  the  Connecticut  Bank,  remaining  there  seven  years, 
and  then  engaged  in  the  manufacturing  business,  which  was 
destroyed  by  fire  a  few  months  later.  He  then  assisted  in  or- 
ganizing the  Pequonnock  Bank,  and  became  its  first  cashier  in 
1851,  officiating  in  that  capacity  until  1869,  when  he  resigned, 
and  engaged  in  the  business  of  fire  insurance,  which  he  has 
followed  to  the  present  time. 

He  was  Treasurer  of  the  city  of  Bridgeport  from  1853  to 
1857,  inclusive,  and  in  1874;  and  Town  Treasurer  from  is.'iS  t<> 
1861,  and  1863  to  1868,  inclusive,  and  in  1872.  He  has  served 
on  the  Board  of  Common  Council  of  the  city  of  Bridgeport ; 
and  as  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Fire  Commissioners  for 
twelve  years. 

He  is  at  the  present  time  a  director  of  the  Mountain  Grove 
Cemetery  Association,  and  its  secretary  and  treasurer,  which 
positions  he  has  held  since  1861 ;  a  director  of  the  Connecticut 
National  Bank ;  the  Bridgeport  Savings  Bank ;  and  President 
of  the  Bridgeport  Gas  Light  Company. 

Brother  Higby  was  made  a  mason  in  St.  John's  Lodge, 
No.  3,  at  Bridgeport,  July  29,  1852;  exalted  a  Royal  Arch 
Mason  in  Jerusalem  Chapter,  No.  13,  March  10,  1854;  received 
in  Jerusalem  Council,  No.  16,  March  20,  1854,  and  knighted 
in  Hamilton  Commandcry,  No.  5,  at  Bridgeport,  May  21,  1  s">">. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  279 


he  being  the  first  one  to  receive  the  orders  of  knighthood  after 
the  Commandery  was  organized.  He  received  the  several 
grades  of  the  Ancient  Accepted  Scottish  Rite  in  1858,  created 
a  Sovereign  Grand  Inspector-General  33d  degree,  April  26, 
1858,  and  made  an  active  member  of  the  New  York  Supreme 
Council,  October  20,  1864;  and  at  the  union  in  1867  with 
the  Supreme  Council  at  Boston,  Massachusetts,  he  was  made 
an  active  member  of  the  Supreme  Council  for  the  Northern 
Masonic  Jurisdiction,  United  States  of  America,  which  he  holds 
at  the  present  time,  and  in  1873  was  elected  Grand  Captain  of 
the  Guards  of  that  body,  and  in  187(5  Grand  Standard  Bearer, 
which  position  he  still  holds. 

In  the  masonic  bodies  at  Bridgeport,  he  has  been  an  active 
member,  serving  in  various  capacities,  having  been  High  Priest 
of  Jerusalem  Chapter,  No.  13,  from  1857  to  1859,  and  again  in 
1880;  Thrice  Illustrious  Master  of  Jerusalem  Council,  No.  16, 
from  1859  to  1863,  and  Eminent  Commander  of  Hamilton 
Commandery,  No.  5,  from  1863  to  1869. 

In  the  Grand  Bodies  of  Connecticut  he  has  served  as  Most 
Puissant  Grand  Master  of  the  Grand  Council,  from  1862  to  1864, 
and  Right  Eminent  Grand  Commander  of  the  Grand  Com- 
mandery, in  1864  and  1865,  and  since  1868  has  been  the  Grand 
Treasurer  of  that  body. 

He  has  held  the  principal  offices  of  all  the  bodies  of  the 
Ancient  Accepted  Scottish  Rite  at  Bridgeport,  and  for  more 
than  twenty  years  has  been  the  Illustrious  Commander-in-Chief 
of  LaFayette  Consistory,  and  Thrice  Potent  Grand  Master  of 
DeWitt  Clinton  Lodge  of  Perfection,  and  is  the  Treasurer  of 
St.  John's  Lodge,  No.  3 ;  Jerusalem  Chapter,  No.  13 ;  Jerusa- 
lem Council,  No.  16,  and  Hamilton  Commandery,  No.  5. 

In  all  relations  of  life,  brother  Higby  has  ever  held  the 
confidence  of  his  associates  and  townsmen,  and  as  a  freemason, 


2*0  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


no  one  fills  a  larger  place  in  the  hearts  of  his  brethren.  As  a 
worker  in  the  masonic  bodies  he  is  accurate  and  impressive, 
and  as  a  student  of  masonic  history  and  jurisprudence,  he  is 
especially  interested.  He  is  eminently  devoted  to  the  Com- 
mandery  and  Scottish  Rite  bodies,  where  his  energy  has  been 
exerted  in  a  great  degree,  and  productive  of  the  best  results. 

Among  the  prominent  features  of  his  character,  are  fidelity 
to  principles  and  causes  which  he  may  espouse,  without  regard 
to  popular  clamor  on  the  one  hand,  or  popular  favor  on  the 
other.  Modest,  tolerant  and  unassuming  by  nature,  he  knows 
how  to  deal  with  men,  and  establish  his  friendships  on  a  per- 
manent footing,  exerting  his  influence  with  calmness  and  mod- 
eration. His  opinions  are  formed  with  thought  and  a  cautious 
consideration,  and  when  once  established  are  tenaciously 
adhered  to.  * 

In  his  judgment  of  men  he  is  generally  correct,  reading 
human  nature  as  if  by  intuition ;  and  in  his  private  life  he  is 
held  in  high  esteem  for  his  sterling  qualities  of  character,  his 
conservative  opinions  and  correct  judgments,  which  have  been 
sources  of  strength  in  every  commanding  position  he  has 
occupied. 


THE    CEXTENMAI..  281 


KDMUN13    TWEEDY. 


Edmund  Tweedy  was  born  in  Danbury,  Connecticut, 
March  11,  1840.  He  is  the  son  of  Edgar  S.  Tweedy  and 
Elizabeth  (Belden)  Tweedy.  His  father  is  a  well-known  citi- 
zen of  Danbury,  where  he  was  born,  in  1808.  His  name  is 
identified  with  many  of  the  business,  public,  and  philanthropic 
interests  of  his  native  place. 

His  grandfather  was  Samuel  Tweedy,  who  died  in  1868,  at 
the  ripe  old  age  of  92.  During  his  long  life  he  was  a  promi- 
nent personage  in  his  town,  being  a  leading  manufacturer,  and 
occupying  many  positions  of  trust  and  responsibility.  For  a 
period  of  thirty-five  years  he  was  president  of  the  Danbury 
Bank.  He  served  on  several  occasions  in  the  State  Legisla- 
ture, and  one  term  as  Member  of  Congress. 

Until  fourteen  years  of  age,  Brother  Tweedy  attended  pri- 
vate schools  in  his  native  place.  He  then  went  for  two  years 
to  "The  Institute,"  in  White  Plains,  New  York,  where  he  was 
prepared  for  college  by  Prof.  John  Swinburne,  A.  M.  On 
leaving  this  school  he  abandoned  the  plan  of  entering  college, 
and  took  a  position  as  clerk  in  the  Savings  Bank  of  Danbury, 
where  he  remained  for  two  years,  when  he  entered  into  the 
employ  of  the  firm  of  Tweedy,  White  &  Co.,  hat  manufactur- 
ers, of  Danbury,  who  were  successors  to  the  business  originally 
established  by  his  grandfather,  in  the  year  1800. 

In  June,  1860,  when  but  twenty  years  of  age,  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  firm,  which  then  took  the  name  of  A.  E.  Tweedy 
&  Co.  Under  different  names,  the  business  was  carried  on  until 
1871,  when  it  was  organized  into  a  joint-stock  company.  For 
three  years  he  was  secretary  of  this  company,  and  since  then 
has  been  its  president.  This  company  has  occupied  a  very 
prominent  position  in  the  trade,  being  one  of  the  largest  in  the 


282  THE    CENTENNIAL. 


country,  and  employing  several  hundred  hands.  The  business 
which  it  carries  on  has  been  uninterruptedly  under  the  family 
name  during  the  whole  of  the  present  century — a  rare  occur- 
rence in  this  country.  Brother  Tweedy  is  connected  with  sev- 
eral other  business  enterprises,  being  president  and  director  of 
several  corporations. 

He  attends  the  Congregational  church,  but  is  not  a  mem- 
ber. In  politics  he  is  a  republican,  but  has  never  sought  po- 
litical honors. 

He  was  married  in  1863,  to  Emma  F.  Raymond,  of  South- 
East,  Putnam  County,  New  York,  and  has  two  children,  both 
sons. 

Brother  Tweedy  was  made  a  Master  Mason  in  Union 
Lodge,  No.  40,  soon  after  reaching  his  majority,  and  within  a 
year  thereafter  was  elected  to  the  office  of  Worshipful  Master, 
which  position  he  held  for  two  years. 

He  served  for  two  years  as  High  Priest  of  Eureka  Chap- 
ter, No.  23,  Royal  Arch  Masons,  after  filling  several  subordi- 
nate positions. 

He  was  a  charter  member  and  first  Thrice  Illustrious  Mas- 
ter of  Wooster  Council,  No.  28,  Royal  and  Select  Masters,  at 
Danbury. 

He  was  knighted  in  Clinton  Commandery,  No.  3,  of  Xor- 
walk,  and  subsequently  became  a  member  of  Crusader  Com- 
mandery, No.  10,  of  Danbury,  upon  the  organization  of  that 
body. 

He  was  elected  Grand  Junior  Deacon  of  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  Connecticut,  in  1866;  Grand  Senior  Deacon  in  1867  and 
1868 ;  Grand  Junior  Warden  in  1869,  and  Grand  Senior  War- 
den in  1870;  but  on  account  of  the  time  and  attention  de- 
manded in  his  many  business  enterprises,  he  declined  to  serve. 
In  1871  he  was  elected  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  Grand  Lodge, 
which  office  he  has  continued  to  fill  for  nineteen  consecutive 
years. 


THE   CENTENNIAL. 


Having  served  for  several  years  in  subordinate  positions 
in  the  Grand  Chapter  of  Connecticut,  he  was  elected  Grand 
High  Priest  in  1873,  serving  two  years,  and  has  been  one  of 
the  trustees  in  that  body  for  many  years. 

In  1869  he  was  elected  Most  Puissant  Grand  Master  of  the 
Grand  Council  of  Connecticut,  filling  the  office  for  one  year; 
and  is  one  of  the  board  of  managers  of  the  Masonic  Charity 
Foundation  of  Connecticut,  and  an  honorary  life  member  of 
that  body. 

His  interest  in  the  various  branches  of  freemasonry  has 
been  centered  in  the  lodge,  chapter,  and  council,  which  have 
been  highly  cherished  for  the  living  principles  they  represent 
and  teach,  and  in  each  of  these  bodies  he  has  been  an  active 
and  efficient  worker.  His  attendance  at  the  annual  sessions  of 
the  grand  bodies  has  been  frequent,  where  his  ability  and  good 
judgment  have  been  sources  of  strength  in  conducting  the 
legislative  affairs  of  freemasonry  and  promoting  its  welfare. 

He  is  scrupulous  in  his  observance  of  all  established  regu- 
lations for  the  government  of  the  craft,  and  solicitous  at  all 
times  for  its  standing  and  influence  before  the  world.  As  a 
presiding  officer,  he  discharges  the  duties  of  the  chair  with 
unusual  dignity  and  intelligence;  and  in  supporting  his  opin- 
ions, which  are  formed  with  a  thoughtful  consideration,  he  dis- 
plays a  firmness  of  character,  with  penetrating  powers  of  obser- 
vation, that  command  respect  and  confidence. 

As  a  man,  he  is  generous  toward  the  weaknesses  and  foi- 
bles of  others ;  remarkably  free  from  envy  and  its  associate 
evil,  jealousy ;  rejoicing  in  others'  prosperity,  and  lamenting 
their  adversity.  In  the  community  at  large,  and  the  masonic 
bodies  with  which  he  associated,  he  is  held  in  high  esteem  for 
the  many  sterling  qualities  of  which  he  is  possessed,  and  that 
uniform  and  unruffled  temperament  characteristic  of  his  nature. 


284  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


GEORQE    D.  STAXTTOT\T. 


Brother  George  Dallas  Stanton  was  born  in  Charlestown, 
Rhode  Island,  April  13,  1839,  removed  to  North  Stonington  in 
1841,  and  to  Stonington,  where  he  now  resides,  in  1847.  He 
is  a  son  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Samuel  Stanton,  sixth  in  descent 
from  Thomas  Stanton,  (and  Anna  Lord,  of  Hartford)  the  In- 
dian Interpreter-General  for  the  colonies. 

Brother  Stanton  received  his  primary  education  in  the 
public  schools  until  thirteen  years  of  age,  and  then  he  was 
placed  in  the  select  private  school  of  David  S.  Hart,  of  Ston- 
ington, under  whose  tuition  he  remained  for  five  years,  and  was 
fitted  for  a  civil  engineer,  which  vocation  he  followed  from  the 
age  eighteen  to  twenty-three  years. 

In  1862  he  entered  the  office  of  Dr.  William  Hyde,  of 
Stonington,  and  graduated  at  Bellevue  Hospital  Medical  Col- 
lege in  1865,  in  the  mean  time  having  private  instructions  under 
Professors  Austin  Flint,  Senior,  and  Frank  H.  Hamilton,  in 
diseases  of  the  heart  and  lungs,  military  and  general  operative 
surgery,  and  since  his  graduation  has  remained  in  the  practice 
of  his  profession  in  Stonington. 

He  has  been  health  officer,  or  one  of  the  health  committee 
of  the  town  almost  continually  from  1865  to  the  present  time, 
and  medical  examiner  for  the  town  since  the  present  coroner 
law  went  into  effect.  He  has  been  one  of  the  board  of  select- 
men, and  most  of  the  time  first  selectman  of  the  town  for  a 
number  of  years;  also  town  agent,  and  agent  of  the  town 
deposit  fund  since  1883 ;  was  warden  of  the  borough  of  Ston- 
ington from  1870  to  1872,  and  1876  and  1877. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  285 


Brother  Stanton  was  made  a  freemason  in  Asylum  Lodge, 
No.  57,  of  Stonington,  in  18G5,  and  was  elected  and  installed 
Worshipful  Master  the  same  year,  holding  the  office  for  three 
years.  He  held  the  office  of  Deputy  Grand  Lecturer  two 
years — in  1870  and  1871,  under  Chauncey  M.  Hatch,  Grand 
Lecturer.  In  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut  he  served  two 
years,  in  1881  and  1882,  as  Grand  Steward;  was  elected  Grand 
Junior  Deacon  in  1883,  and  Grand  Senior  Deacon  in  1884; 
and  in  all  positions  of  honor  or  trust,  has  held  the  confidence 
of  the  public,  and  esteem  of  his  brethren. 

Modest  and  unassuming  by  nature,  he  would  never  press 
his  claims  for  advancement  to  office,  preferring  by  all  means  to 
be  released  from  official  responsibility,  unless  the  call  should 
be  a  full,  free,  and  practically  a  unanimous  expression  of  his 
constituents. 

Being  a  lover  of  freemasonry  for  its  truths  and  principles, 
no  less  than  for  its  social  features,  he  has  entered  into  the 
activities  of  the  craft  with  much  zeal  and  cheerfulness,  where 
he  has  found  those  elements  of  sociability  and  enlightenment 
so  congenial  to  his  nature,  affording  enjoyment  for  leisure 
hours,  and  refreshment  from  the  activities  of  a  busy  life. 


286  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


NELSOX    O.   HIXCKLEY. 

Nelson  Gershom  Hinckley  traces  his  ancestry  back  to 
about  the  year  1600.  The  family  of  Hinckley  was  originally 
from  the  county  of  Kent,  in  England.  John  Lothrop  was 
pastor  of  a  parish  in  Egerton,  in  the  county  of  Kent.  He 
embraced  the  faith  of  the  Puritans,  and  in  1623  renounced  his 
orders  in  the  Church  of  England  and  removed  to  London.  He 
was  followed  by  some  of  his  parishioners,  among  whom  was 
(1)  Samuel  Hinckley.  In  January,  1624,  he  gathered  a  church 
on  the  plan  of  Robinson,  of  Leyden.  They  held  their  meet- 
ings privately,  in  Blackfriars,  but  in  April,  1632,  were  discov- 
ered by  the  pursuivant  of  the  Archbishop,  were  apprehended, 
and  eighteen  only  escaped.  Mr.  Lothrop,  with  twenty-four 
others,  were  imprisoned  two  years,  some  in  the  "Clink,"  some 
in  "New  Prison,"  and  some  in  the  "Gate  House,"  when  all  but 
himself  were  liberated.  He  petitioned  King  Charles  I,  and 
was  set  at  .liberty  in  April,  1634,  on  condition  of  departing 
from  the  kingdom.  He  came  to  Boston  in  the  ship  "Griffin," 
in  1634,  with  about  thirty  of  his  people. 

Samuel  Hinckley  was  one  of  those  who  accompanied  Mr. 
Lothrop  to  Boston,  and  in  163JI  was  admitted  a  freeman,  and 
removed  to  Barnstable.  Moore,  in  his  "  Lives  of  the  Govern- 
ors of  Plymouth  Colony,"  says :  some  of  the  first  settlers  of 
Barnstable  were  men  of  education  and  easy  fortunes,  who  had 
left  homes,  enviable,  save  in  the  single  circumstance  of  the 
abridgment  of  religious  liberty.  The  "  men  of  Kent  "  are  duly 
celebrated  in  English  history  as  men  of  gallantry,  loyalty,  and 
courtly  manners.  Vassal,  Hatherly,  Cudworth,  Tilden,  Hinck- 
ley and  others,  had  been  accustomed  to  the  elegances  of  life  in 
England.  They  were  men  eminently  qualified  not  only  for 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  287 


transacting  municipal  concerns,  but  for  taking  an  active  and 
leading  part  in  the  government  of  the  colony. 

Thomas  Hinckley,  son  of  Samuel,  was  the  last  governor  of 
Plymouth  colony.  He  was  chosen  one  of  the  assistants  in  1658, 
and  continued  in  office  until  1681.  In  that  year,  following  the 
death  of  Josias  Winslovv,  he  was  chosen  governor  of  New  Ply- 
mouth Colony,  and  continued  in  that  office  (except  during  the 
short  period  of  the  rule  of  Andross,  when  he  was  councillor) 
by  successive  re-elections  until  the  colony  was  incorporated 
with  Massachussetts  under  the  charter  of  1672 — a  period  of 
eleven  years. 

While  governor,  Mr.  Hinckley  made  an  early,  if  not  the 
earliest  effort  made  in  this  country  to  establish  and  promote  a 
system  of  free  schools,  and  when  the  first  school  was  established 
by  law  in  1672,  Mr.  Hinckley  was  "steward"  of  the  income 
set  apart  for  its  support,  and  remained  its  faithful  and  constant 
companion.  It  was  said  of  him  that  in  his  religious  views  he 
resembled  the  rigid  Governor  Prince,  rather  than  the  tolerant 
Winslow.  A  law  was  passed  while  he  was  governor,  sometimes 
called  "  Hinckley's  law,"  which  provided  "  that  if  any  neglect 
the  worship  of  God  in  the  place  where  he  lives,  and  set  up  a 
worship  contrary  to  God  and  the  allowances  of  this  govern- 
ment, to  the  profanation  of  God's  holy  day,  he  shall  pay  ten 
shillings."  Governor  Hinckley  took  a  deep  interest  in  the  prop- 
agation of  the  gospel  among  the  Indians,  and  in  securing  a 
competent  support  for  ministers  of  religion. 

(2)  John,  son  of  Samuel,  born  in   Barnstable,  May  24, 
1644,  was  called   ensign  John,  took  an  active  interest  in  the 
government  and  military  defense  of  the  colony.     He  married 
Bertha  Lothrop,  grand-daughter  of  Rev.  John    Lothrop,  and 
died  at  the  age  of  sixty-five. 

(3)  Gershom,  son  of  Ensign  John,  was  born  in  Barnstable, 
April  2,  1682.     He  removed  to  Lebanon,  Connecticut,  in  the 


288  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


year  1712,  where  he  had  purchased  lands.  He  married  Mary 
Buel,  of  Lebanon.  Was  a  prosperous  farmer,  and  raised  a  large 
family.  He  died  in  December,  1774,  aged  ninety-two,  and  she 
died  February  23d,  the  same  year,  aged  eighty-five,  the  mother 
of  fourteen  children.  They  were  reared  and  educated  in  that  pat- 
riotic town,  during  the  stern  and  stirring  times  that  preceded 
the  revolutionary  war,  and  were  contemporary  with  the  famous 
"  Brother  Jonathan  "  Trumbull.  It  appears  from  the  "  State 
records  of  revolutionary  soldiers,"  that  many  of  his  descendants 
took  an  active  part  in  that  great  struggle. 

(4)  John    Hinckley,  son   of  Gershom,  of  Lebanon,  was 
born  February  10,  1729,  and  finally  settled  in  Hampton,  Con- 
necticut. 

(5)  Gershom  Hinckley,  grandfather  of  Nelson  G.  Hinck- 
ley. was   born   in  1754,  and   removed  to  Thetford,  Vermont, 
where  he  was  a  prominent  man  in  the  town,  and  deacon  in  Dr. 
Burton's  church. 

(7)  Nelson  Gershom  Hinckley  was  born  August  2«>.  1*20. 
in  Hartford,  Connecticut,  and  has  always  resided  in  that  city. 
His  father,  (6)  Asahel  Hinckley,  son  of  Gershom,  of  Thetford, 
was  born  February  11,  1794,  and  came  to  Hartford  in  l*lo, 
was  a  printer  by  trade,  and  worked  in  the  office  of  The 
Hartford  Conrant,  at  a  period  when  the  art  of  printing  was  very 
different  from  the  present  time.  He  used  not  only  to  assist  in 
setting  up  the  type,  but  was  accustomed  to  "  pull "  the  whole 
edition  of  the  paper  on  a  hand  press,  and  ink  the  "  form  "  with 
balls. 

In  the  year  1820  he  commenced  the  dry  goods  and  milli- 
nery business,  on  Main  street  near  Christ  church.  It  was 
known  in  Hartford  and  vicinity  for  many  years  as  the  leading 
store  in  that  line  of  business.  In  1854,  Nelson  G.  Hinckley 
succeeded  to  the  business  and  continued  until  1-S7.">,  when  he 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  289 


retired,  the  establishment  having  retained  the  same  name  for 
more  than  a  half  century.  A  new  building  has  been  erected 
on  the  location,  and  the  occupancy  and  present  ownership  of 
the  property  by  Mr.  Hinckley,  covers  a  period  of  over  seventy 
years. 

Mr.  Hinckley  has  been  and  is  still  connected  with  the  mil- 
itary and  civic  societies.  Was  a  member  of  the  Governor's 
Foot  Guard  in  1840,  and  in  1845  was  elected  captain.  Is  now 
a  lieutenant  in  the  Veteran  Association.  Was  commissioned  a 
lieutenant  in  the  Putnam  Phalanx  in  1804,  under  Major  Allyn. 
In  the  year  1854  he  was  appointed  quarter-master  general  of 
the  State,  by  the  General  Assembly,  on  the  staff  of  Governor 
Button.  In  1876  was  tendered  the  office  of  division  quarter- 
master, on  the  staff  of  Brigadier-General  Guyer.  Was  an  old 
volunteer  fireman,  and  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Fire  Depart- 
ment. Was  elected  president  of  the  Firemen's  Benevolent 
Society  in  1880,  in  which  office  he  has  been  continued.  Was 
elected  a  member  of  the  City  Council  for  four  successive  years 
— 1878  to  1882,  and  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Relief  of  the 
town  for  five  years  in  succession — 1880  to  1884. 

Initiated  in  St.  John's  Lodge,  No.  4,  January  18,  1860; 
Worshipful  Master  in  1865;  Treasurer  of  the  lodge  from  1872 
to  1887,  when  again  elected  Worshipful  Master.  Was  exalted 
to  the  degree  of  Royal  Arch  Mason,  in  Pythagoras  Chapter, 
No.  17,  February  1,  1862;  elected  High  Priest  in  1869.  Was 
elected  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  Grand  Chapter  of  Connecti- 
cut in  1870,  and  has  held  that  office  until  the  present  time.  In 
May,  1870,  elected  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
Connecticut,  and  has  held  that  position  twenty  years,  acting  as 
chairman,  having  custody  of  the  funds  of  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  Connecticut,  and  also  the  funds  of  the  Masonic  Charity 
Foundation.  He  was  received  and  greeted  in  Wolcott  Coun- 
19 


290  THE    CENTENNIAL. 


cil,  No.  1,  at  Hartford,  November  12,  18(i3,  but  never  served 
that  body  in  a  working  capacity,  his  interest  centering  more  in 
the  lodge  and  chapter. 

His  connection  with  freemasonry  has  been  .distinguished 
for  enthusiasm,  which  did  not  die  out  after  having  served  in 
elevated  positions  in  the  masonic  bodies.  He  is  a  very  correct 
ritualist,  and  having  learned  the  work  before  the  change  from 
the  old  to  the  present  standard,  clings  with  much  tenacity  to 
the  old  ways. 

In  his  bearing  among  men,  and  his  companions  and  asso- 
ciates, he  retains  many  of  the  qualities  which  distinguished  his 
early  ancestors  as  men  of  gallantry,  loyalty  and  courtesy,  and 
he  holds  the  respect  of  those  who  know  him,  for  his  thorough 
manhood,  dignity  of  character,  honesty  of  purpose,  and  gentle- 
manly bearing,  His  opinions  are  formed  after  due  reflection, 
and  remain  firmly  seated,  and  being  possessed  of  an  even  tem- 
perament, he  is  not  easily  frustrated.  In  his  business  or  masonic 
relations  he  is  distinguished  for  method,  persistence,  and  a 
uniform  correctness  in  all  things ;  and  as  an  officer,  his  admin- 
istrations have  been  characterized  for  a  conscientious  and  con- 
siderate discharge  of  every  duty,  and  in  private  life  in  his  native 
city,  he  is  held  in  high  esteem  and  regard. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  291 


LUKIE:  A.  LOCKWOOD. 


The  subject  of  this  sketch  has  for  many  years  been  an 
active  and  prominent  member  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecti- 
cut, and  has  been  one  of  its  most  influential  supporters  during 
his  masonic  career. 

He  is  the  son  of  Frederick  Lockwood  and  Mary  Ann 
(Jessup)  Lockwood,  born  at  Riverside,  Greenwich,  Connecti- 
cut, in  the  house  now  owned  and  occupied  by  him,  December 
1,  1833.  Until  fourteen  years  of  age,  he  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools,  and  prepared  for  college  at  the  Greenwich 
Academy.  In  1851  he  entered  Trinity  College,  and  graduated 
valedictorian  in  1855.  In  1888  he  received  the  degree  of  M. A., 
and  was  for  three  terms  chosen  by  the  alumni,  an  elective  trus- 
tee, and  in  1890  was  elected  trustee  for  life. 

Brother  Lockwood  is  an  Episcopalian,  and  is  devoted  to 
the  interest  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  He  started  a  mission 
chapel,  known  as  St.  Paul's  Chapel,  at  Riverside,  in  1875,  and 
laid  the  corner-stone  in  1876,  and  for  eleven  years  thereafter 
conducted  the  Sunday  School  and  evening  service,  and  has 
been  its  senior  warden. 

By  profession  he  is  a  lawyer,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
in  1856  in  New  York,  where  he  has  been  in  full  practice  ever 
since. 

He  was  made  a  mason  in  1856,  in  Union  Lodge,  No.  5,  at 
Stamford,  Connecticut.  At  the  organization  of  Acacia  Lodge, 
No.  85,  at  Greenwich,  which  was  chartered  May  12,  185s,  llr 
was  a  charter  member,  and  served  as  its  first  Worshipful  Master, 
continuing  in  the  office  for  ten  years  thereafter,  and  after  an 
interval,  serving  again  for  two  years. 


THE    CENTENNIAL. 


In  1858  he  was  exalted  a  royal  arch  mason  in  Rittenhousc 
Chapter,  No.  1 1,  at  Stamford,  and  served  as  High  Priest  in  1864 
and  1865. 

May  9,  1872,  he  was  elected  Grand  Master  of  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  Connecticut  from  the  floor,  a  very  rare  occurrence, 
the  only  other  instance  being  in  1816,  when  His  Excellency, 
Oliver  Wolcott,  who,  the  same  year,  had  been  elected  Gov- 
ernor, was  elected  Grand  Master  without  having  served  in  any 
other  station. 

Brother  Lockwood  filled  the  office  two  years,  and  his  ad- 
ministration was  characterized  by  a  careful  and  intelligent  direc- 
tion of  the  affairs  of  the  craft,  and  marked  with  progress  and 
prosperity.  His  annual  address  delivered  before  the  Grand 
Lodge  in  1873  is  distinguished,  not  alone  for  ability  and  intelli- 
gence manifested,  but  for  the  inception  of  the  Masonic  Charity 
Foundation  of  Connecticut,  which  has  since  been  permanently 
organized  by  charter  from  the  State  of  Connecticut.  He  was 
one  of  its  incorporators,  was  elected  a  member  of  the  board  of 
managers,  and  became  its  first  president.  May  9,  1865,  he  was 
elected  Grand  High  Priest  of  the  Grand  Chapter,  and  re-elected 
in  1866,  and  his  administration  was  distinguished  for  ability, 
and  a  high  moral  tone,  leaving  the  impress  of  a  master's  hand 
upon  every  page  of  its  history  more  enduring  than  marble. 

During  the  almost  entire  connection  of  brother  Lockwood 
with  these  Grand  Bodies,  he  has  been  honored  as  chairman  of 
the  committee  on  jurisprudence,  and  his  legal  mind  wrought 
order  out  of  chaos,  furnishing  for  the  government  of  the  craft 
a  system  of  masonic  law  unexcelled  by  that  of  any  jurisdiction. 
He  is  the  author  of  Lockwood's  Masonic  Law  and  Practice,  a 
most  valuable  handbook  of  jurisprudence,  which  has  been 
adopted  as  authority  by  the  Grand  Bodies  of  Connecticut,  and 
is  recognized  as  a  standard  work  throughout  the  country. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  L".i:i 


To  freemasonry  in  Connecticut  he  has  been  a  tower  of 
strength, — a  Father  in  Israel, — and  his  influence  has  bedn  the 
means,  to  a  great  extent,  of  laying  the  foundations  of  the  order 
in  Connecticut  on  a  broad,  deep  and  enduring  basis. 

As  a  student  of  the  philosophy  and  symbolism  of  free- 
masonry he  is  not  excelled,  and  as  a  teacher  of  its  grand  and 
uplifting  precepts  he  has  few  equals,  being  himself  controlled 
by  the  highest  principles  of  morality  and  virtue  that  underlie 
its  teachings,  and  which  are  wrought  out  in  his  daily  life.  He 
has  delivered  many  masonic  addresses  and  written  numerous 
articles  on  the  subject  of  freemasonry,  and  his  interest  and  de- 
votion for  the  welfare  of  the  craft,  is  still  as  ardent  as  when  he 
first  entered  his  masonic  career. 

Integrity,  sagacity  and  generosity  are  richly  blended  in  his 
composition,  and  all  who  come  in  contact  with  him  can  but 
recognize  his  intellectual  and  legal  attainments,  and  thorough 
honesty  of  purpose  in  any  cause  which  he  espouses. 


294  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


P.  ST.  M.  ANDREWS. 


Peter  St.  M.  Andrews  was  born  in  Boston,  Massachusetts, 
February  28,  1819,  his  parents,  also,  being  natives  of  Boston. 
He  received  his  education  at  private  and  public  schools,  grad- 
uating from  the  Mayhew  School,  in  Boston. 

After  leaving  school,  he  engaged  as  a  clerk  in  a  woolen 
goods  store  in  Boston,  where  he  remained  for  a  few  years,  but 
like  many  other  Boston  boys,  he  became  possessed  with  the 
desire  of  seeing  more  of  the  world  than  could  be  found  at  the 
"  Hub  of  the  Universe,"  and  made  a  few  voyages  to  sea  as 
a  "Jack  Tar,"  visiting  foreign  countries. 

In  1846  he  left  the  seafaring  life  and  settled  down  to  busi- 
ness, engaging  as  general  accountant  and  corporation  clerk  of 
the  Norwich  &  Worcester  Railroad  Company,  where  he  has 
been  employed  from  that  time  to  the  present,  and  since  1857 
has  been  its  superintendent. 

Brother  Andrews  has  been  interested  in  political  matters 
in  the  city  of  his  adoption,  and  has  served  as  councilman  and 
alderman  in  the  city  government  of  Norwich,  a  member  of  the 
board  of  water  commissioners,  and  chief  engineer  of  the  fire 
department. 

He  was  made  a  mason  in  Somerset  Lodge,  No.  34,  of  Nor- 
wich, March  14,  1857,  and  held  the  office  of  Senior  Deacon  in 
1858  and  1859,  and  that  of  Worshipful  Master  in  1860,  1861 
and  1*62.  June  16,  1873,  he  became  a  charter  member  of  St. 
James  Lodge,  No.  23,  at  Norwich,  where  he  still  holds  his 
membership,  when  he  was  appointed  a  member  of  the  finance 
committee,  which  position  he  has  held  until  the  present  time, 
and  now  acting  as  chairman. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  L".I.'. 


He  was  exalted  a  royal  arch  mason  in  Franklin  Chapter, 
No.  4,  July  11,  1857,  where  he  served  three  years  as  Cap- 
tain of  the  Host,  refusing  any  further  advancement.  He  is  also 
a  member  of  Franklin  Council,  No.  3,  where  he  served  as  Illus- 
trious Principal  Conductor  of  the  Work  in  1859,  and  Right 
Illustrious  Deputy  Master  in  18(57  and  1808. 

He  was  knighted  in  Columbian  Commandery,  No.  4,  at 
Norwich,  December  20,  1858,  elected  Warder  in  1851),  serving 
two  years;  Prelate  in  1861  ;  Junior  Warden  in  18(52,  and  Kmi- 
nent  Commander  from  18(54  to  1866. 

At  the  annual  conclave  of  the  Grand  Commandery,  May 
12,  1864,  he  was  elected  Grand  Sword  Bearer,  and  advanced 
through  the  several  stations  of  Grand  Junior  and  Senior  Wrar- 
dens,  Grand  Generalissimo,  and,  March  15,  1870,  was  elected 
Grand  Commander,  which  office  he  held  one  year,  serving  with 
ability  and  discretion. 

In  the  Grand  Lodge,  he  was  appointed  to  the  office  of 
Grand  Steward,  May,  1860,  and  at  the  annual  communication 
in  1862  he  received  the  appointment  of  Grand  Marshal — these 
offices  constituting  him  a  permanent  member  of  the  Grand 
Lodge. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  somewhat  retiring  by  nature, 
devoting  his  time  and  talents  strictly  to  his  occupation,  and  is 
distinguished  for  integrity  of  principle,  terseness  of  expression 
and  tenacity  of  opinion.  His  masonic  career  was  an  active  one 
in  the  days  when  he  was  engaged  in  the  service,  and  while  his 
presence  at  masonic  meetings  is  not  very  frequent,  he  yet  holds 
the  order  in  high  esteem  for  its  fellowship  and  influence. 


296  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


GEORGE  I.EE. 


Brother  George  Lee,  familiarly  known  as  Capt.  Lee,  for 
many  years  Grand  Treasurer  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecti- 
cut, was  born  in  the  town  of  Rome,  Ashtabula  county,  Ohio, 
in  1820,  where  he  was  raised  a  farmer  boy.  His  father,  George 
D.  Lee,  and  grandfather,  Lemuel,  were  natives  of  Lyme,  Con- 
necticut, and  in  1790,  Lemuel  was  Master  of  a  lodge  in  Lyme. 
They  were  among  the  early  settlers  of  Ohio,  removing  thither 
in  the  early  part  of  the  present  century,  settling  in  the  town 
of  Lyme,  Ashtabula  county,  in  what  was  then  known  as  the 
"Western  Reserve,"  or  New  Connecticut. 

His  grandfather,  Lemuel,  was  the  father  of  six  sons  and 
two  daughters,  George  D.  Lee  being  the  youngest  of  the  family, 
who  was  about  twenty  years  of  age  when  he  left  his  home  in 
Connecticut  for  the  west.  There  he  married,  and  lived  in  the 
town  of  Rome,  which  adjoined  the  town  of  Lyme,  where  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  and  spent  the  early  years  of 
his  life. 

The  grandfather  of  brother  Lee,  Lemuel,  was  a  soldier  in 
the  war  of  the  revolution,  and  is  said  to  have  been  employed  by 
General  Washington  as  a  spy,  when  his  forces  were  entrenched 
at  Valley  Forge,  during  the  winter  of  1777 — a  winter  distin- 
guished for  the  hardships  as  well  as  bravery  of  the  patriots — 
when  the  cause  of  liberty  became  almost  hopeless  for  the 
Americans. 

Brother  Lee  received  his  education  in  the  common  schools 
of  Rome,  graduating  from  an  academy  or  grammar  school 
located  in  the  town.  After  graduation,  he  taught  school  in 
the  district  four  winters,  being  employed  on  the  farm  during 
the  remainder  of  each  year. 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  297 


He  was  commissioned  as  captain  in  the  State  Militia  of 
Ohio,  and  afterwards  elected  as  major,  also  colonel  of  the  regi- 
ment, which  offices  were  declined. 

In  1842  he  removed  to  Hartford,  where  he  engaged  as 
clerk  in  the  general  merchandising  business,  which  he  followed 
until  1850,  when  he  entered  on  his  own  account  into  the  busi- 
ness of  cigar  manufacturer  and  dealer  in  tobacco,  which  busi- 
ness he  has  followed  until  the  present  time.  The  last  number 
of  years  have  been  devoted  more  exclusively  to  dealing  in 
Havana  and  seed  leaf  tobacco  for  manufacturing  purposes,  in 
which  he  has  been  quite  extensively  engaged. 

His  masonic  career  began  in  St.  John's  Lodge,  No.  4,  at 
Hartford,  where  he  was  made  a  master  mason,  November  2(1, 
1862.  He  immediately  entered  into  the  cause  of  freemasonry, 
and  became  an  active,  zealous  and  influential  member.  Becom- 
ing familiar  with  the  ritual,  he  was  elected  Junior  Deacon  of  St. 
John's  Lodge,  No.  4,  January  6,  1864;  advanced  to  the  office 
of  Senior  Deacdn  the  year  following;  and  to  the  position  of 
Junior  Warden,  January  3,  1866. 

He  then  became  a  charter  member  of  LaFayette  Lodge, 
No.  100,  which  was  chartered  in  1867,  and  was  nominated  in 
the  warrant  as  its  first  Senior  Warden,  which  office  he  filled  for 
three  consecutive  years.  April  22,  1869,  he  was  elected  Wor- 
shipful Master,  holding  the  office  for  five  consecutive  years ; 
after  which  he  served  as  Senior  Deacon  two  years.  In  1882 
he  was  elected  Secretary,  which  office  he  held  six  years,  be- 
sides serving  intermediate  years  in  the  office  of  Marshal.  For 
more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  he  has  been  constantly  in 
office,  and  is  now  the  member  of  the  Masonic  Board  of  Relief 
from  LaFayette  Lodge,  in  connection  with  the  members  of  the 
Board  from  St.  John's,  No.  4,  and  Hartford,  No.  88. 


298  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


June  12,  1863.  he  was  exalted  a  royal  arch  mason  in 
Pythagoras  Chapter,  No.  17,  at  Hartford,  afterwards  filling 
subordinate  offices  for  several  years  ;  the  office  of  Principal 
Sojourner  being  held  for  ten  or  twelve  years  in  succession, 
where  his  ability  as  a  working  officer  was  displayed  to  the  best 
advantage.  In  1875  he  was  elected,  and  much  against  his  wish, 
he  accepted  the  office  of  High  Priest,  where  he  remained,  by 
the  unanimous  suffrage  of  his  companions,  three  years. 

April  7,  1864,  he  was  admitted  as  a  member  in  Wolcott 
Council,  and  in  that  body  has  been  until  quite  recently,  a  work- 
ing officer  continuously  ever  since,  declining  to  accept  ap- 
position on  the  platform,  which  has  been  frequently  tendered 
him.  He  was  knighted  in  Washington  Commandcry,  N<>.  1, 
Knights  Templars,  October  11,  1864,  but  in  that  body  has 
'never  been  active  in  any  official  capacity. 

October  26,  1869,  brother  Lee  was  appointed  Grand 
Treasurer,  by  Grand  Master  William  Storer,  to  fill  the  vacancy 
occasioned  by  deposing  from  office  the  former  Grand  Treas- 
urer, for  unfaithfulness  to  his  trust.  The  following  year  he  was 
elected  to  the  office,  which  he  continued  to  fill  until  1881, 
when  he  was  again  elected,  but  declining  to  serve,  brother  John 
G.  Root  was  called  to  the  position.  He  also  held  the  office 
of  Grand  Treasurer  of  the  Grand  Chapter,  from  1868  to  1888, 
and  is  the  present  Grand  Treasurer  of  .the  Grand  Council. 

His  masonic  career  has  been  an  honorable  one  to  himself 
and  a  useful  one  to  the  fraternity ;  and  his  active  life  has  been 
full  of  honest  toil  and  kindly  deeds.  Being  an  excellent  judge 
of  human  nature,  he  foresees  results  with  remarkable  accuracy, 
and-seldom  fails  in  his  opinion  of  men.  Possessing  strength  of 
character  and  a  remarkable  power  of  will,  his  opinions  when 
formed,  become  seated  like  the  granite  rock  in  the  immovable 
hills ;  yet  with  his  decisiveness  of  character  there  is  blended  a 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  L".«!» 


genial,  generous  and  compassionate  spirit,  that  assists  in  devel- 
oping the  nobler  elements  of  man's  nature,  working  an  abound- 
ing kindness  and  charity  within,  that  has  often  found  expression 
in  deeds  that  his  brethren  knew  not  of,  and  so  far  as  the  world 
is  concerned,  their  record  was  like  one  written  on  the  sand. 

His  friendships  are  free  from  cant,  and  true;  and  when 
necessity  demands,  his  opposings  are  without  fear.  Socially, 
among  his  friends  and  brethren,  he  is  most  companionable, 
enjoying  a  joke  with  much  relish,  when  his  hearty,  resounding 
laugh,  will  be  like  a  bugle  call  to  jollity  and  mirth. 

As  a  ritualist  he  is  correct,  adhering  with  tenacity  to  the 
old  ways ;  and  as  a  presiding  officer,  possesses  energy  to  exe- 
cute, with  tact  to  plan  ;  and  among  the  citi/.ens  and  fraternity, 
holds  their  confidence  for  his  unimpeachable  integrity. 


300  THE    CENTENNIAL. 


HENRY    E.    PATTEN. 


Henry  Erasmus  Patten  was  born  in  West  Stafford,  Con- 
necticut, May  14,  1835,  and  is  a  son  of  Noah  and  Mary  Ann 
(Case)  Patten,  the  former  being  a  native  of  Stafford,  where, 
during  his  life,  he  lived  in  the  same  house  where  he  was  born. 
Brother  Patten's  mother  was  born  at  Wales,  Massachusetts,  but 
removed  to  Stafford  at  an  early  age.  On  his  father's  side 
Brother  Patten  traces  his  ancestry  to  the  "Pilgrim  Fathers," 
through  the  families  of  Davis  and  Alden,  who  landed  at  Ply- 
mouth Rock,  in  1620;  and  his  great-grandfather,  Washburn, 
on  his  mother's  side,  with  one  son,  fought  in  the  American  rev- 
olution, enlisting  first  for  three  months,  and  then  for  three 
years. 

Brother  Patten  was  educated  in  the  country  schools,  and 
at  the  South  Wilbraham  and  Westfield  Academies,  in  Massa- 
chusetts. On  leaving  school,  he  engaged  in  the  burnishing 
business,  in  the  employ  of  the  Rogers'  Brothers  Manufacturing 
Co.,  of  Hartford,  where  he  remained  for  seven  years. 

In  1862  he  commenced  work  in  the  dyeing  establishment 
of  Mr.  George  Smith,  as  book-keeper  and  financial  manager, 
and  at  times  taking  a  hand  in  the  more  practical  part  of  dye- 
ing, etc.,  where  he  remained,  with  the  exception  of  four  years, 
until  1873,  when,  on  March  11,  he  purchased  the  establish- 
ment, and  has  since  continued  the  business  on  his  own  account. 

He  has  been  interested  in  politics,  and  has  served  in  the 
city  government  of  Hartford  as  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
Common  Council,  six  years. 

He  was  made  a  master  mason  in  St.  John's  Lodge,  No.  4, 
at  Hartford,  September  IS,  !*.">*,  and  the  following  November 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  301 

was  appointed  Tyler  of  the  lodge,  which  office  he  filled  until 
1873.  October  29,  1858,  he  was  made  a  Royal  Arch  Mason 
in  Pythagoras  Chapter,  No.  17.  January  18,  1859,  he  was 
received  and  greeted  in  Wolcott  Council,  No.  1,  and  knighted 
February  18,  of  the  same  year,  in  Washington  Commandcry, 
No.  1,  all  of  Hartford,  which  he  served  as  Tyler  until  1873, 
with  the  exception  of  one  year  in  the  Commandery,  when  he 
filled  the  office  of  Junior  Warden.  September  1,  1864,  he  was 
admitted  a  member  of  Charter  Oak  Lodge  of  Perfection,  and 
there  he  served  as  Tyler  until  his  resignation,  in  1873. 

In  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut  and  other  grand 
bodies,  he  was  Grand  Tyler  for  several  years,  and  the  office  in 
the  Grand  Lodge  at  the  time  of  his  appointment,  constituted 
him  a  permanent  member  of  these. 

Brother  Patten  is  possessed  of  a  genial  and  somewhat 
loquacious  nature,  and  while  he  enjoys  the  companionship  of 
friends  and  brethren,  is  one  who  is  attentively  devoted  to  all 
matters  of  business,  in  which  he  has  been  fairly  successful. 
Being  one  who  has  a  great  regard  for  integrity,  he  is  square  in 
his  dealings  with  men,  and  expects  the  same  from  others,  op- 
pressing none,  and  rendering  to  each  his  due.  His  life  is  dis- 
tinguished for  simplicity  of  manners,  activity  in  business,  scru- 
pulous honesty,  faithfulness  to  trusts,  whether  in  official  or 
private  relations,  and  as  a  mason  he  has  sought  to  fulfill  its 
obligations,  and  promote  its  interests. 


302 


THE   CENTENNIAL. 


MASONIC    MONUMENT. 
RIVERSIDE    CEMETERY,    WATKRl'.t'RY,    CONNECTICUT. 

The  year  1882  was  made  memorable  by  the  erection  and 
dedication  of  the  Masonic  Monument,  in  the  burial  lot  in  River- 
side Cemetery,  on  the  12th  of  October.  The  fund  for  this 
monument  was  commenced  in  the  year  ISO,'),  by  a  legacy  from 
the  estate  of  brother  Samuel  Forrest,  (a  deceased  member  of 
Harmony  Lodge,  No.  li;,)  of  sixty-five  dollars.  This  amount 
was  laid  aside  as  a  nucleus  of  a  monument  fund.  By  slow 
accumulation  and  additions  from  various  sources,  principally 
from  the  sale  and  exchange  of  the  original  burial  lot,  this  fund 


THE   CENTENNIAL.  :jo;j 


had  increased  to  the  sum  of  about  $2,200,  when  by  the  joint 
action  of  Harmony  and  Continental  Lodges,  upon  the  recom- 
mendation of  the  Masonic  Board  of  Relief,  a  committee  con- 
sisting of  the  Masters  of  the  two  lodges,  together  with  the 
Board  of  Relief,  were  instructed  to  proceed  to  the  erection  of  a 
monument  in  accordance  with  a  design  suggested  by  the  chair- 
man of  said  Board.  A  contract  was  made  with  brother  George 
E.  Bissell,  of  Poughkeepsie,  New  York,  for  the  erection  of  a 
granite  monument,  with  tablets  and  emblems  of  bronze,  for  the 
sum  of  two  thousand  dollars.  The  bronze  reliefs  and  emblems 
were  modeled  by  Mr.  Bissell,  and  cast  by  the  Ames'  Sword 
Company,  of  Chicopee,  Massachusetts,  and  the  stone  work 
executed  -by  the  Plymouth  Granite  Company,  of  Plymouth, 
Connecticut.  The  lot  upon  which  the  monument  is  erected 
occupies  a  prominent  knoll  in  Riverside  Cemetery,  and  con- 
tains four  thousand  five  hundred  superficial  feet,  an  area  suffi- 
cient for  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  burials.  The  cost  of  lot, 
monument,  and  headstone  was  nearly  $4,500.  The  ceremonies 
of  dedication,  conducted  under  the  auspices  of  the  Grand 
Lodge,  by  M.  W.  James  McCormick,  Grand  Master,  were  most 
solemn  and  impressive,  and  unique  in  their  character,  being 
prepared  especially  for  the  occasion,  there  being  no  form  pre- 
scribed in  the  ceremonials  of  masonry  for  a  like  occasion.  The 
monument  was  "  dedicated  to  the  memory  of  those  masons, 
their  widows  and  orphans,  whose  remains  now  are,,  or  may 
hereafter  be,  buried  in  these  grounds."  Addresses  were  de- 
livered by  the  Grand  Master;  Rev.  brother  R.  W.  Holies  and 
brother  Nathan  Dikeman ;  and  an  original  poem  by  brother  11. 
C.  Hayden,  of  Newton,  Massachusetts.  Within  the  die  were 
deposited  a  large  and  valuable  collection  of  documents,  coins, 
medals  and  badges.  A  full  and  detailed  account  of  the  pro- 
ceedings was  printed  in  a  pamphlet  for  general  distribution. 


304  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


The  tender  associations  of  the  place,  the  magnanimous 
sentiment  which  prompted  its  purchase  and  fitting  up,  and  the 
loving  purpose  to  which  it  is  consecrated,  will  combine  to  im- 
press on  the  heart  with  solemnity  and  new  emphasis,  the  prac- 
tical and  important  moral  lessons  so  beautifully  typified  in  the 
significant  masonic  emblems,  which  appropriately  adorn  the 
sides,  and  gloriously  crown  the  summit  of  this  monument  which 
stands  as  an  excellent  example  for  imitation  by  other  masonic 
bodies. 

"  This  monument   unveiled  before  us  stands 

A  grateful  tribute  of  masonic  love: 
And  may   the  offering  of  human  hand- 
a  benediction  from  above. 


A  century  hence,  some  pilgrim  on  his  way 
Perchance  may  pass  tin-  con-ecrated  spot. 

And  as  he  looks  upon  this  stone,  will  sav. 
"The  humbler  ones  of  earth  are  not  forgot." 

The  rich  and  poor  in  masonry  clasp  hands. 

(Bound   to  each  other  by  that   sacred   lie    : 
No  circumstances  of   life  can  break  the   bands. 

While  oilier  friendships  may  (let-line  and  die. 

Hail!  ancient  order,  with  thy  deeds  of  love: 
Thy  kindly  charities  have  blessed  the  poor. 

Turned  many  a  pilgrim's  eye  to  look  above. 
And  through  the  darkness  see  an  open  door. 

Kach  age  and  nation  has  its  history  told: 
The  noble  charities  that  each  has  given. 

Within  the  JJook  of  Ages  are  em-oiled. 
And  have  their  place  in  the  archives  of   Heaven. 

Our  loving  deeds.  <>  Architect    Divine. 

In  Thy  good   pleasure   uTai-iou-ly  approve: 
Then  this   fraternal  act    will  ever  shine 

A   -tar  of  beautv  in   the  skv  of  love." 


THE   CENTENNIAL. 


MASONIC    TKMI'LK,    AT    WOODBURY. 

The  above  is  a  good  representation  of  the  Masonic  Hall 
occupied  by  King  Solomon's  Lodge,  No.  7,  of  Woodbury  ;  and 
is  the  oldest  lodge  room  devoted  exclusively  to  masonic  use, 
and  owned  by  the  craft,  out  of  the  thirteen  original  lodges  that 
organized  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut. 

From  1775  to  1797 — a  period  of  twenty-two  years,  the 
lodge  met  in  an  upper  room  of  Peter  Gilchrist's  house,  who 
was  a  prominent  freemason,  and  for  many  years  Secretary  of 
the  lodge,  and  born  in  the  Parish  of  Kildaltan,  Island  of  North 


306  THE   CENTENNIAL. 


Britain.  This  old  identical  room  is  still  in  existence  as  one  of 
the  upper  chambers  of  the  house,  and  now  owned  by  brother 
Arthur  D.  Warner,  who  is  the  present  Secretary. 

The  lodge  next  moved  to  a  new  hall  prepared  for  its  use 
in  the  house  of  widow  Damaris  Gilchrist,  which  was  subse- 
quently used  as  a  ball  room  to  Kelley's  hotel.  Tradition  says 
it  was  fitted  up  in  magnificent  style.  Upon  the  ceiling  were 
delineated  the  "  starry  decked  heavens,"  with  the  all-seeing  eye, 
and  other  masonic  emblems.  The  lodge  occupied  these  apart- 
ments until  September  1<S,  1*23,  when  it  again  removed  to 
another  new  hall,  where  it  remained  for  some  fifteen  years,  and 
then  returned  to  the  old  quarters  over  Kelley's  hotel,  where  it 
remained  until  the  dedication  of  the  present  edifice,  in  1831), 
since  when  the  lodge  has  continued  in  its  "  house  upon  a  rock  " 
— a  period  of  fifty-one  years. 

The  cost  of  building  the  structure  was  not  to  exceed  $700, 
and  the  money  was  raised  by  dividing  the  amount  into  shares 
of  $10.00  each  ;  some  of  which  was  taken  by  persons  not  mem- 
bers of  the  fraternity.  The  last  share  was  cancelled  in  l^'n. 

The  sketch  of  this  somewhat  ancient  and  unique  structure 
is  admitted  into  this  volume,  not  alone  for  its  age  and  peculiar 
situation,  but  because  it  is  the  only  one  so  long  used  for 
masonic  purposes  exclusively,  of  any  of  the  original  founders 
of  the  Grand  Lodge,  and  owned  by  the  fraternity. 


THE    CENTENNIAL. 


307 


<>|.I>  MASONIC   LODGE  ROOM  OF  EASTERN   STAR   LODGE,  NO.  44. 


308  THE   CENTENNIAL. 

In  Lebanon,  Connecticut,  there  is  an  old  and  deserted 
masonic  lodge  room,  and  the  house  where  it  was  located  is 
represented  by  the  above  cut.  The  building  is  called  "The 
Santa  Ana  House;"  not  so  named  because  the  redoubtable 
opponent  of  the  missionary  efforts  in  Mexico  of  Messrs.  Taylor, 
Scott  &  Company,  ever  saw  the  place;  but  from  the  fact  that 
a  gentleman  residing  there  a  score  or  t\vo  of  years  ago,  rejoiced, 
like  the  hero  aforesaid,  in  a  wooden  leg. 

The  house  is  situated  just  off  the  road  leading  from  Goshen 
to  Bozrahville,  setting  in  a  corner  made  by  a  cross-road  leading 
to  Coryville.  It  is  an  old  structure  of  the  anti-revolutionary 
period,  now  unhabited ;  and  though  built  with  all  the  clumsy 
strength  of  that  period,  is  now  rapidly  falling  into  decay.  It  is 
supposed  to  have  been  erected  in  1750  to  1755,  as  it  was  occu- 
pied by  brother  Joseph  Metcalf,  who  being  filled  with  zeal  and 
the  masonic  spirit,  had  a  part  of  his  house  fitted  up  as  a  lodge 
room,  and  there  the  brethren  met. 

Brother  Metcalf  had  married  the  daughter  of  Squire  Peleg 
Thomas,  of  whom  it  is  related,  that  while  commanding  the  rear 
guard  that  covered  the  retreat  of  Sullivan  from  Rhode  Island, 
in  1778,  a  nervous  soldier  called  out  as  they  were  fording  the 
stream  that  dark  night:  "Where  are  you  going,  Leftenant?" 
and  he  solemnly  answered:  "To  Heaven,  I  hope."  The 
Squire  had  considerable  local  fame,  for  he  fought  a  bear  with 
a  walking  stick;  wrote  poetry;  lived  to  be  over  ninety  years 
old;  always  gave  his  marriage  fees  t<>  the  bride;  and  did  many 
other  notable  things.  He  represented  the  town  of  Lebanon  in 
the  Legislature  of  Connecticut  from  17!><>  to  17!»1>,  and  again  in 
1808. 

Brother  Metcalf  was  one  of  the  petitioners  for  Eastern  Star 
Lodge,  No.  44,  now  located  at  Willimantic,  which  was  char- 
tered at  the  half-yearly  communication,  held  October  17,  1  7 '.IN. 


THE   CENTENNIAL. 


309 


)        '         t/ 


with  brother  Daniel  Tilden,  Master;  Joseph  Metcalf,  Senior 
Warden,  and  Zabdiel  Hyde,  Junior  Warden.  The  lodge  held 
its  meetings  in  this  lodge  room  from  its  organization,  or  soon 
after,  until  1801),  when  it  was  removed  to  Windham. 

The  room   formerly  run  the  entire  length  of  the  second 
story,  but  has   since   been   cut  up  into   smaller  appartments. 

The  walls  are  painted 
with  curious  birds  of  ex- 
tremely variegated  plum- 
age, sitting  in  a  tangle  of 
vines  which  nearly  cover 
the  white  back-ground. 
Here  and  there  is  a  scene, 
presumably  scriptural. 
The  sketch  shown  here  is 
supposed  to  belong  to  the 
Royal  Arch  degree,  and 
its  significance  of  course, 
is  only  known  to  the  ini- 
tiated. Just  below  the 
ceiling  is  a  painted  curtain, 
festooned  with  cord  and 
tassel. 

The  most  important  of 
the  decorations,  consists  in  a  wooden  tablet,  as  shown  in  the 
other,  or  third  engraving.  The  tablet  is  three  by  four  feet, 
placed  over  the  mantle-piece,  upon  which  is  painted  many 
familiar  symbols,  from  the  blue  lodge  to  the  commandery. 
The  jewels  of  officers,  and  masonic  emblems  form  the  border, 
and  within  arc  the  pillars;  the  "all-seeing  eye;"  the  square 
and  compasses ;  the  drawn  sword ;  a  partly  obliterated  anchor 
or  pick-axe;  trowel,  etc.  The  coffin  and  bee-hive  are  only 


310  THE    GENTIAN  I A  I.. 

seen  here  in  the  small  pictures  of  the  border.  The  globe  in 
the  upper  right  hand  corner  is  still  retained  in  modern  use,  and 
the  winged  spurs,  also  serpent  with  palm  leaves,  are  sugges- 
tive of  Templarism  and  the  Rose  Croix.  In  tl>e  lower  left 
hand  corner  is  a  man's  head  with  an  arrow  sticking  through  his 
mouth  and  coming  out  at  the  back  of  his  head.  Its  significance 
can  be  easily  recognized  by  one  who  has  passed  the  chair  in 
the  capitular  degrees.  The  relic  was  purchased  by  brother  J. 
E.  Goldsworthy,  of  Providence,  and  for  a  time  exhibited  at  the 
office  of  the  Freemason's  Repository,  to  which  we  are  indebted 
for  the  cuts,  and  subject  matter  of  this  sketch. 

The  painting  ought,  by  good  right,  to  have  been  secured 
by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Connecticut ;  or  Eastern  Star  Lodge ; 
or  perhaps,  Washington  Commandery,  No.  1,  Knights  Tem- 
plars, of  Hartford ;  for  brother  Joseph  Metcalf  was  one  of  its 
earliest  members,  and  was  Knighted  in  that  body  in  the  year 
1771),  when  located  at  Colchester. 

Brother  Metcalf  sold  his  place  about  the  year  1802,  and 
started  for  Ohio,  probably  for  the  purpose  of  settling  on  what 
was  then  known  as  the  Connecticut  reserve,  or  New  Connecti- 
cut, but  died  on  his  way  thither,  at  Lebanon  Springs,  Nc\v 
York,  the  same  year. 


_© 


Andrews,  P.  St.  M.,  sketch  of,      .        .        .^ 294 

Barlow,  John  H.,  sketch  of,  with  plate,  *. 121 

BiiiHjiiet,  Menu, 200 

Benton,  Herbert  E.,  response  by, 214 

Brewer,  Arthur  H.,  sketch  of, 24S 

Buckingham,  Clark,  sketch  of,  with  plate, 265 

Circular  Notice. 91 

Clark,  David,  sketch  of, 43 

Committees. 49 

(Viitennial  Parade. 64 

Centennial  Ode,  by  J.  K.  Wheeler, SI 

Centennial  Poem,  by  Rev.  J.  T.  Pettee, 130 

Centennial  Oration,  by  J.  W.  Richardson 157 

Calef,  Arthur  B.,  sketch  of, 193 

Diehl,  Christopher,  response  by, 217 

Dickinson,  L.  A.,  sketch  of, -_>:!S 

I Hkeman,  Nathan,  sketch  of, :>r>7 

Knsign.  Howard  B.,  sketch  of.  with  plate, 47 

Kndicott.  Henry,  response  by, 218 

<  .ciicral  Orders 52 

Gould,  James  L.,  sketch  of, 144 

(ireen,  Henry  II.,  sketch  of.  with  plate, 251 

Golding,  A.  C.,  sketch  of, 259 

Historical  Address,  by  J.  K.  Wheeler, 85 

Hyde,  Alvin  P.,  sketch  of,  with  plate 235 

Hyde,  William  E.,  sketch  of, 2:.:. 

Higby,  William  R,,  sketch  of -J7s 

Iliiu'kley.  N.  G.,  sketch  of , 2*1; 

Introduction, 3 

Invitations, 10 

Kenyon.  (Jeorge  II.,  response  by. 224 


Keigwiii,  John  G.,  sketch  of, 2t>3 

~-^ee,  William  Wallace,  sketch  of. 123 

Leeds,  John  H.,  sketch  of.  with  plate, int. 

Lockwood,  L.  A.,  sketch  of, 291 

---Lee,  George,  sketch  of,  .                       J'"> 

Met  a  Ik-  Kadires.  tae  -simile  of, 13 

HoCormick,  James,  sketch  of  ,  with  plate 141 

Moore,  Robert  M.,  response  hy, 207 

Miller,  David  S..  sketeh  of 24."> 

Mix.  John  W.,  sketeh  of.  with  plate -''>: 

Marline  Monument.  Waterlmry.  sketch  of, 302 

Masonic  Temple,  Woodbury,  sketch  of, 305 

Masonic  Lodge  Room,  Lebanon,  sketch  of, 307 

N'iekerson,  Sereuo  D.,  response  by, 204 

Nisbet,  Michael,  response  by, 22!> 

Order  of  Exercises, so 

Ode  to  Freemasonry,  by  .1.  K.  Wheeler, Hit 

Prayer  by  Grand  Chaplain.  

Phelps,  Dwight,  sketch  of,  with  plate 127 

Pilsbury,  Amos,  sketch  of. 14'.' 

Pettee,  Rev.  J.  T.,  sketch  of, 1M 

Post  Prandial,  Programme, 201 

Paul,  John  W.,  sketch  of. 253 

Price.  William  W..  sketch  of 27o 

Patten.  Henry  E.,  sketch  of, 300 

Quintard,  E.  S.,  sketch  of, 70 

Responses  to  Invitations, 14 

Reception  of  Invited  Guests, 60 

Root,  John  G.,  sketch  of, 153 

Rowe,  E.  B.,  sketch  of,  with  plate, 179 

Richardson,  Rev.  J.  W.,  sketch  of, 1S2 

Santord.  William  E.,  sketch  of. 45 

Swart  u  out,  J.  H.,  sketch  of,  with  plate, 71 

Smith.  Asa,  sketch  of, 74 

Shryrock,  Thomas  J.,  response  by, 202 

simonds,  William  E.,  response  by, 211 

S\\ art \\out.  .).  II..  response  by, 231 

Spem-er.  Fred.  A.,  response  by, --^ 

Storer,  Wflliam  W.,  sketch  of,     .,__ —- --^____i_____L_^---~-_^__L_  21:1 

Sp.-ni-.-r.  FI-.-I.  A.,  sk.-ti-h  of.  with  plate, 27:: 

Stirling.  Hugh,  sketch  of, 27<; 

-~--*»tauton.  George  D.,  sketch  of, 2*  I 

Tweedy.  Kdmmid.  skeu-li  of J-l 

Vroomaii.  John  W..  resj <••  by 2l!» 

Wheeler,  Joseph  K..  >ketch  » 1.  with  plate. t; 

Warner.  Hev.  Heverlex   K..  -ketch  of, 187 

\Valdmn.  I  red.  H..  -k. -tcli  ot.  with  plate 189 

Waller,  Thomas  M.,  response  by, 225 

Waogh,  Dwight,  sketch  of ,  with  plate 243 


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